Chapter 5: The Worst Kind of Surprise

******The Same Wednesday Morning******

After they left the doctor's, Veronica and Logan went to their mythology class armed with a new photo to show off to their friends.

As always, Dick and Mac were already in class before they got there. "Look what I have!" Veronica said excitedly as she waved the ultrasound photo.

"You got the ultrasound?" Mac asked.

"Yes. It was so amazing! We got to hear the heartbeat and everything!" Veronica shared, handing Mac the photo.

"You're going to be a dad! How cool is that?" Dick said to Logan.

"It's very cool!" Logan agreed. "And I'm happy to report there is only one bun in her oven!"

They laughed at his announcement.

"He's got your nose!" Mac said to Logan. She knew that Veronica and Logan were at odds over the sex of their unborn child and couldn't resist teasing him.

"He does? I wanna see!" Dick insisted. Grinning mischievously, Mac handed the photo to Dick, who examined the photo with a confused frown. "I don't get it. How's this a baby? And how does he look like Logan?"

"It's a girl!" Logan insisted for the hundredth time.

"It doesn't look like anything but a big blob!" Dick said perplexed.

"How can you say that?" Veronica asked outraged. "You're blind! There's the head, and there's the itty-bitty feet!" She pointed it out on the photo.

Dick looked at Mac with a "help me" expression. "It's not easy for some to see it," Mac said.

"Whatever!" Veronica said insulted, taking the photo back.

Logan couldn't help but laugh at Dick's expression.

After class, the four of them were coming out of their classroom building when Veronica said, "I feel a bout of morning sickness coming on."

Logan looked at her in concern but relaxed when he realized she meant something by her comment because she was focused on a person.

Madison Sinclair was walking toward them. She looked annoyed when she spotted the four of them. Dick, of course, waved. "Hey, Maddie!" he bellowed.

"Haven't you taught him to be rude to all bitches in heat?" Veronica asked Mac.

"She's Lauren's sister. We have to be nice," Mac said in warning.

"Dick, why must you be so loud?" Madison asked in annoyance. She gave Mac a nod of acknowledgment but saved her ire for Veronica. "I see you're not fat yet."

Veronica patted her stomach in too good a mood to let Madison bother her at all. "Nope, not yet," she replied happily.

"Not for lack of trying!" Logan teased, planting a kiss on Veronica's cheek.

"So what are you going to dress up as at your sis's party?" Dick asked Madison.

"I haven't decided," Madison said. "If my parents keep canceling my credit cards, I might not dress up at all." She pointed a glare at Mac.

"How is that my fault?" Mac asked.

"If you weren't so ****ing perfect, they wouldn't be suddenly expecting me to measure up to your impossible standards!" Madison informed her.

"She is pretty perfect!" Dick agreed proudly, throwing his arms around her shoulders.

"Maybe you should be less of a screw-up!" Veronica stated, not liking the sudden attack on Mac.

Mac gently elbowed her in the side. "I'm sorry, Madison. I can help you study if you'd like," she offered, always diplomatic.

"It's the least you can do since you've screwed up my life," Madison said with a sniff. "But it's her fault more than yours. She always has to butt into other people's business." Madison glared at Veronica.

"It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it!" Veronica said unapologetic.

"Some secrets are better left alone!" Madison stated sourly. If Veronica hadn't been digging up dirt on Mac's parents, she wouldn't have uncovered the baby switch. Although Madison knew Lauren could be dead if not for Mac, it didn't make her appreciate the upheaval in her life. Nor did it make her inclined to look favorably at Veronica Mars, whom she hated with every fiber of her being. Veronica was the reason things always seemed to go wrong. Lilly Kane chose her over Madison. Duncan and Logan chose her over Madison. Sometimes, it even seemed that even Lauren liked her better than Madison, who was her sister. Now, of course, the truth was out, and there was no blood ties between her and Lauren. No real reason for Lauren to love her best. It didn't stop Madison from feeling like her sister, though, and resenting the fact that she had to now share her sister and her life with Mac. And Mac seemed determined to bring Veronica Mars into their sister's life. Madison could deal with Mac. Aside from her academic superiority, she was unobtrusive and no real competition in looks or style. However, Madison could not and would not tolerate Veronica Mars in her life. If she had to put up with Veronica for Lauren's sake, she definitely wouldn't be nice about it.

"If you hadn't had such a screwed up life in high school, maybe you wouldn't have been so determined to rip apart others with your so-called investigations," Madison said in disgust.

"We've got class," Logan said, stepping in before things got out of hand and Veronica could respond. "Pleasant as always, Madison." He grabbed Veronica's hand and dragged her away before a full-blown cat fight broke out.

"So you're flunking, huh?" Dick asked Madison.

"I'm failing biology and history. They're my last two general ed classes I kept putting off. Science is always hard for me, and I can't remember dates," Madison admitted.

"Me either, but Mackie is good at helping me. You should let her help you," Dick suggested. "I gotta go. Catch you babes later!" He gave Mac a quick kiss on the cheek and waved at Madison.

"I'm free Saturday morning if you want me to come by and help you study," Mac offered.

Madison grimaced but knew she was drowning. It'd be foolish to reject the lifesaver Mac was throwing her. She swallowed her pride and nodded. "Okay. Thanks," Madison said.

Mac knew that the revelation of the paternity switch had been devastating to Madison. Mac had a few years to get used to it, but Madison had not. With Lauren's illness, Madison had been forced to just deal with it. Mac couldn't help but feel a bit responsible for what Madison was going through. It wouldn't be that much of a trial to tutor Madison. Maybe it'd help Madison lose some of her hostility. Mac's mom was trying so hard to connect with Madison, but she wasn't making it easy for her mom. If Madison started doing better in school, maybe she'd thaw out some. Mac laughed as she went to her next class. She wasn't really that naive, but she could hope. Dick's natural optimism had obviously rubbed off on her!

*****Thursday Morning*****

Mac and Jazmin were in their kitchen having breakfast when Parker joined them. She seemed a bit dazed.

"Are you okay?" Jazmin asked in concern.

"I'm not sure. I didn't get much sleep," Parker admitted. "I was on the phone last night until three in the morning."

"With whom?" Mac asked. "Duncan?"

"No. Piz," Parker revealed as she sat down in a kitchen chair.

"Really? What did he say?" Jazmin asked.

"He misses me. He's sorry. He loves me, and he's going to come back," Parker said succinctly, surprising her roommates. She sat down at the table.

Mac got up to pour her a cup of coffee. "Here. You need this. Tell us everything," she ordered, sitting back down.

"I can hardly believe it. I'm still in shock," Parker said.

"When's he coming?" Jazmin inquired.

"Actually, he's flying in tomorrow afternoon. He's staying with your brother. Didn't he or Eli tell you?" Parker asked.

"I haven't seen Jason the past few days, but Eli was grumbling about blue-eyed blondes and their devil deals," Jazmin shared smiling. "I was working on my portfolio and figured Veronica and he were doing something with work, so I didn't ask any questions."

"You aren't nosy enough!" Parker scalded.

"When it comes to your juicy love life, I am! So what about Duncan? Are you just going to let Piz come back after what he put you through?" Jazmin asked a bit surprised.

Parker sighed. "I know. It's insane. I never thought I'd be in this position," she admitted.

"Do you still love Piz?" Mac asked, getting to the most important point.

Parker nodded. "I do. I mean, does real love ever go away completely? Can it go away in two months? I am not just going to fall back into bed with him or anything, but how can I not give him a chance?" Parker asked.

Jazmin and Mac exchanged concerned glances. They both cared about Duncan and knew this would really hurt him. "I can understand that, but I can't help but feel bad for Duncan. He's crazy about you," Mac said.

"Much more than he was with me, I think," Jazmin said.

"And it took him months to get over you," Mac added.

Parker put her head in her hands. "I really can't believe this is happening," she groaned.

"Well, relationships are tricky," Mac said in sympathy.

Parker looked up. "What am I going to do?" she asked. "I don't want to hurt Duncan. He's been amazing to me. He's not pushed me, and he's been so patient and just wonderful."

"Then maybe you need to let Piz go and focus on what's here in front of you—a life with Duncan," Jazmin suggested.

"I'm not ready to do that. Piz and I didn't fall apart because we had a bad relationship. He was insecure because of that stupid kiss with Duncan and couldn't get past it. When I went to Italy on Duncan's plane, he made more out of it. His jealousy got the better of him. The job offer was an easy excuse for not fighting for us," Parker said.

"So now he's wanting to fight, and all is forgiven?" Jazmin asked doubtfully. She could never be so understanding.

"He made a mistake," Parker defended. "Veronica and Mac both forgave Logan and Dick for worse mistakes. He forgave me for kissing Duncan. How could I not give him a chance to make it right?"

"No one is going to blame you for wanting to work things out with Piz. He's a good guy," Mac said. She'd spent enough time with him to know. Jazmin didn't really know him.

"Well, if Piz's is arriving tomorrow, you're going to have to tell Duncan today," Jazmin said.

"I know. I will," Parker said. "I'm going to jump in the shower. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Good luck," Mac said. "We'll be here when you get home if you need to talk some more."

"Poor Duncan," Jazmin said after Parker left. "I know he really likes Parker. He's not going to take this very well at all."

Mac knew she was right, and she hated that no matter what Parker did someone would get hurt. Life was like that sometimes. Sometimes you could do everything right and still end up hurt and disappointed.

******Lunchtime*******

Parker waited nervously for Duncan at the Java Hut. She didn't want to have this conversation with so many people around. She remembered distinctly what happened when Jazmin had a similar conversation with Duncan in the school cafeteria. It would be better to have the conversation off campus completely, but they both had classes to go to still. Parker didn't want to put it off in case Jason or someone else said something to him about Piz's return.

Duncan spotted her in a quiet table in the back of the restaurant. "Hey!" he said, smiling. "I'm glad you suggested this. I like seeing more of you during the week. Last week was great. We got to spend a lot of time together. Lily's still talking about the carnival."

Parker gave him a bittersweet smile. Feelings of guilt swamped her. How could she hurt this wonderful man? She had liked him ever since she first spotted him in the school cafeteria almost a year ago. "Duncan, I wanted to have lunch, so I could talk to you about something," she said tentatively.

Duncan could see that she was serious and anxious. He grew concerned. "Alright. Is everything okay?" he asked. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

Strengthening her resolve, Parker slowly pulled her hand back. "No. Not really. Piz called me last night. He's coming back to Neptune," she said, not wanting to drag this out.

Duncan was taken aback by her announcement. He wasn't sure what this meant, but his sudden sense of foreboding didn't reassure him. "I see," he said cautiously. "How do you feel about that?"

"Well, I'm surprised. You know I haven't had any communication with him since I left New York. Not even an email," Parker shared.

"But he's suddenly coming back now? In the middle of the semester?" Duncan asked.

"He said he misses me, and he knows he made the biggest mistake of his life," Parker said.

Duncan was listening to her, but he couldn't believe what she was getting at. Was she really going to just let Piz walk back in her life?

"So what does that mean? Do you want to be with him again?" Duncan asked.

Parker flashed him a guilty look. "You know I'm not over him. I've not hid that from you. I've never pretended with you. That's what I've loved about spending time with you—the fact that I didn't need to hide or pretend. You let me heal," Parker said.

"But you still want to be with him," Duncan said grimly. It wasn't really a question, but she answered anyway.

"I'm sorry, but yes, I do. What happened between you and me in Vegas is why he reacted so negatively to the trip to Italy on your plane. I know I didn't really tell you why he decided to stay in New York, but it was mainly because of his insecurities. Insecurities that developed after his disastrous relationship with Veronica. Then here you were, another attractive, wealthy guy making it clear you were interested in his girlfriend. He gave up, so he wouldn't have to lose me," Parker explained.

Duncan looked incredulous. "So it's my fault your boyfriend broke your heart?" he asked.

"No! That's not what I'm trying to say!" Parker protested, upset. "I'm saying it wrong. I mean, it's my fault. I've liked you from the moment I saw you. Even back when you were dating Jazmin."

Surprised, Duncan said, "Really? You did?"

Parker mentally groaned. How could she have told him that? Knowing that wouldn't make it easier on him. However, she didn't want him to think she'd been biding her time or that he didn't mean anything to her. "Yes. I've always been attracted to you, Duncan. I guess Piz could sense that on some level," she admitted.

Duncan wasn't about to give up without a fight. He moved and sat in the chair next to her, picking up her hand. "There is something between us. Something real and powerful. Something that could be wonderful and amazing if you let it," Duncan insisted.

Parker gazed at him, torn. She did feel something for him. It was real and it was different than what she had with Piz. She lifted a hand and rested it on his cheek. "I know. I do feel it. Don't think that I don't. You mean something to me," she told him. But she dropped her hand and looked away. She took a deep breath and faced him again. "Duncan, I'm sorry. But I still love him."

Duncan could not believe this was happening to him again. First, Veronica. Then, Jazmin. Both were incredible women. But they didn't want him. Now just when he really thought he'd met the right girl, she was telling him she'd rather be with a loser who broke her heart and hadn't called her in two months. "I see," he said in resignation, obviously hurt and disappointed. He turned his body away from her, needing a moment.

"I don't think things are over between Piz and me. I don't want them to be. I'm not trying to hurt you," she said, her eyes filling with tears. This was harder than she thought it would be. She hadn't realized that she had the power to hurt him. Or that hurting him would hurt her.

Duncan looked toward her again. "So you want to give him another chance? You don't want us to see one another anymore?" he asked.

"Well, if I want to give it a real chance with Piz, I can't see you anymore. He'd never accept that, and I feel he deserves more from me," Parker said.

"And I don't deserve anything?" Duncan asked sadly.

"You deserve my honesty and that's what I've always given you," she said, her voice breaking. She wiped her cheek. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"I know you didn't. I also know that your first true love isn't easy to get over. I know that better than anyone. It took me years to get over Veronica," Duncan shared in patient understanding. "However, I also know what Veronica knows, what Jazmin knows, and what Logan knows. That first loves are not always the strongest love you will ever find. Your first love isn't always your last love. And I believe with all my heart that you and I could find a love together that we've never had with anyone else. I wish you saw that, too."

Parker didn't know what to say. She didn't know this would hurt so much. She didn't think she'd be so affected by his words. But if she wanted to give Piz a chance, she had to end this now. She had to let Duncan believe there was no hope. He wasn't one to give up easily. That she knew.

She stood up. "This is the way it has to be, Duncan. I care about you. You're a great guy, but I love Piz. I don't know if he and I are meant to have forever or not, but I know that I love him enough to find out. In the end, that's all that matters. I'm sorry," she told him. Then she grabbed her bag and walked away, ending the conversation.

Duncan was so surprised by what happened that he sat there a full ten minutes before getting up. Once again, he was rejected. He left the coffee house not wanting to go back to class. Instead, he went home to see his daughter, the only girl who loved him unconditionally and would always need him. She would always want him in her life, and Duncan drew comfort from that thought.

******That Evening******

Jazmin and Eli were in her living room sitting on the couch. They were supposed to be studying, but Eli was in a very flirtatious mood. Jazmin was sitting sideways with her legs draped over his lap reading her history book. After reading for twenty minutes, Eli had put down his book and was massaging her bare feet. Jazmin was trying not to let it distract her, but she was failing miserably.

"You know it's hard to concentrate with you doing that," she told him.

He grinned unapologetic. "I can't help it. You have the sexiest feet. And you're the one who threw them on me, tempting me!" he complained teasingly.

"I wasn't trying to temp you! Just get comfortable!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize my feet would turn you on, you freak!"

"It's not my fault even your toes are sexy!" he informed her, admiring her manicured, painted toes. He bent down and kissed the top of her one of her feet.

"Ick! Gross!" Jazmin yelled, pulling her feet away. "Feet are not sex objects! That is totally gross! You can't kiss my feet!"

"Oh, I can't?" he asked raising an eyebrow at her challenge. He reached and grabbed her foot, placing a lingering kiss on it starting at the base of her toes. Then he moved his mouth down her foot. He pushed up her wide-legged jeans and moved his mouth slowly up her leg.

Jazmin's mouth fell open in shock. How did he do that? How did he so easily manage to find a way to turn her on? It was her foot for goodness sake! How was this possible? He was taking his time, determined to prove that no part of her would be unresponsive to his touch.

"You are insane!" she moaned. He just grinned and moved over her, planting his lips on hers. Eagerly, she put her arms around his neck and tugged until he was covering her.

"I love every part of you," he said against her lips. The kiss was starting to get hot when they heard the front door close. He groaned and moved off of her, searing her with his heated gaze. He grabbed her legs and moved them over his lap to cover the evidence of the effect she had on him.

Trying to slow her suddenly racing pulse, Jazmin turned to see who was home. It was Parker—an obviously upset Parker.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.

"Not really. I told Duncan that Piz was coming back tomorrow and that I couldn't see him anymore," Parker shared.

"Don't you want to wait to see how things go with Piz before breaking it off with Duncan?" Jazmin asked.

Parker shook her head. "No, I can't do that to either guy. Not if I want to give Piz a real chance. Duncan deserves better than that," she said sadly.

"How'd he take it?" Jazmin asked.

"Not well. He was really upset," Parker shared, distraught.

Eli took perverse satisfaction in hearing Parker's tale but refrained from commenting.

"I'm sorry," Jazmin said, not knowing what else to say. She understood Parker's actions, but she felt sympathy for Duncan and wasn't hypocritical enough to say what Parker wanted to hear.

"Me, too," Parker said. "I'm going upstairs. Thanks, Eli, for letting Piz stay with you. I know it's asking a lot since you don't really know him."

"Well, he was good enough for V to date and you love him. How bad could he be?" Eli said with a shrug.

Parker gave him a small smile. "He's really great. You'll see," she said before going upstairs.

After she left, Eli grinned smugly and said, "If he makes Duncan miserable, I love him already!"

Jazmin pulled her legs off him and sat up. "Don't say that! Duncan is great for Parker. He's a great guy," she defended.

"A great guy who has people killed when he feels the urge," Eli reminded her. "A great guy who knocked up his girlfriend and dumped her as soon as she gave it up to him and got pregnant. A great guy who broke Veronica's heart and let the entire school torment her. A great guy who ran off like a coward with his baby, hurting Veronica further, instead of using his family's money and connections to gain custody. Yes, he's a real prince," Eli said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and disgust.

"Hey, that's not fair," Jazmin protested.

"Fair? What's not fair is his sister being dead, murdered because of her desire to engage in risky behavior in order to piss of her parents. Parents who gave Duncan all their love and affection and Lilly their scorn and disapproval. What's not fair is Duncan wasn't smart enough or strong enough to know what the hell his sister was up to. He shut down like the coward he is when he found her body and went into some catatonic state. His own parents believed he killed his sister and covered up real evidence. Evidence that could've been used to convict Aaron Echolls. There is nothing good or admirable about that man, so don't you ever defend him to me. Not you," Eli said grimly. He didn't raise his voice but said each word with a cold, bitter tone.

Jazmin's mouth fell open in shock. This was the first time Eli had ever really talked about Lilly Kane except for that one time at dinner with Wallace and Jason. She never realized how deep his feelings truly went for the departed Kane. His tattoo should've made it clear, but she had found it a sweet memorable. Now she realized it was much more than that. She ran a hand down his shoulder and bicep. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize your resentment went so deep. He was good to me, and after Joseph I really needed a guy to show me the tenderness and care that he did," Jazmin said.

Eli clenched his fist, hating the reminder that Duncan Kane had been Jazmin's lover. However, he loved her enough to be glad that Duncan had helped her heal, not hurt her further. He looked at her in silence. What was he supposed to say?

Jazmin found his silence disconcerting. "Say something, please," she urged.

"What? Do you want me to tell you that I'm glad Duncan was such a great lover to you? That I'm glad he didn't slap you around like your first lover?" Eli asked pointedly.

"Of course not! Why would you say that? You have a tattoo of another woman on your arm. A woman who died before she could break your heart—I've heard enough to know that Lilly Kane would have had she lived. But she didn't. She died. Maybe you should focus on the fact that she loved Duncan. Veronica's told me how close the two siblings were. I have a brother I'm close to, and I know if he came home and found me dead and bloody, he'd probably turn catatonic, too. That's not a weakness! That's a sign of devastating loss. Not to mention a physical disorder that Duncan was incapable of controlling. Duncan was young and scared when he ran off with Lily. He made a deathbed promise to Lily's mother. You have no idea! Things aren't so black and white, Eli! You of all people know that!" she exclaimed.

Eli sighed. How did he get into an argument with her over Duncan Kane? "Look, I don't want to argue with you about Duncan. I know he's not the devil. I know he has good qualities. I am aware that Lilly adored her brother. But I can't listen to you defend your ex-boyfriend. Wallace I could handle, but not Kane. I can't help but be jealous of any guy who has ever touched you. It's just the way I'm made. I don't blame you for anything, but I want to be the only guy in your mind all the time," Eli admitted.

Jazmin's expression softened. "You are. Everyday. All the time," she assured him. She moved and laid her head on his shoulder. "There's no comparison."

Eli put his arm around her and hugged her. He never wanted to fight with her, especially not over Duncan Kane.

Jazmin raised her head and had a twinkle in her eye. "That was our first fight!" she declared.

"No, it wasn't. You've yelled at me plenty of times. Remember the fight with Duncan? Wallace? Sean Sorokin?" Eli reminded her with a grin as he listed them.

"Me scolding you for your Neanderthal behavior isn't a fight. You weren't upset with me. This is our first fight," she insisted, smiling.

"Okay. I give up. Why does that make you happy?" he asked.

She kissed his cheek. "Because now we can make-up," she said pointedly.

"I thought we just did," he said dryly.

"Now we can have this hot make-up sex Veronica's always bragging about," Jazmin clarified.

Now Eli grinned in understanding. "I don't want to leave you disappointed," he said, leaning closer to kiss her.

She broke off the kiss and stood up. Taking his hand, she led him upstairs to her bedroom. Eli meekly followed her, so in love with her that he'd follow her anywhere.

******The Next Afternoon******

Wallace was about to leave to go to the airport and get Piz. David came into the room. "Hey," he said.

"Hey," Wallace replied. "Have you seen my keys? I need to drive to the airport and get Piz."

David looked around the room. He moved a shirt off of Wallace's dresser. "Here they are," he said, picking them up.

Wallace smiled in relief. "Thanks! I'm running late. I had a study session with Thea, and I had trouble leaving it," he confessed with a grin.

David laughed. "I really don't see the appeal—not after you dated the delectable Jazmin, but I'm glad you found someone you like," David said.

"Jazmin's amazing. But I screwed it up in a moment of weakness and can't go back. I've learned to appreciate more than looks 'cause looks can be deceiving," Wallace said, thinking of the cute and innocent looking Julie.

"True," David said. He waved goodbye as Wallace left. He realized that the reason Wallace lost his keys was because their room had become a real mess. He started picking up clothes and other scattered items. Then he realized Wallace had forgotten his phone in his attempt to uncover his misplaced keys. Grinning, he shook his head. Wallace was a cool guy. His uncharacteristic absent-mindedness was amusing. He must really like that girl.

David could never think of Wallace and women without thinking of Jazmin. Thoughts of Wallace's ex kept him up at night sometimes. She was so perfect. Lunch yesterday had been a good sign. David could tell she was in to him. She was just playing hard to get. An idea occurred to him, and he grabbed Wallace's phone.

In the cafeteria, Jazmin was pretending to study but was instead watching Eli change light bulbs across the room. She sighed in contentment. Veronica had been right. Make-up sex was the best!

Eli glanced over and saw her watching him. It didn't seem to bother her that he still worked part-time on campus. She wasn't embarrassed by it. He flashed her a grin. Last night, he had been extra motivated to not fall short of Logan's bar in "make-up" sex. Girls talked too damn much about that kind of thing.

Jazmin's phone received a text. She read it. It was from Wallace. Need to talk to you about Piz and Parker. Can you come to my room now? She knew Piz was arriving sometime today, so she typed a quick reply: yes. Then she gathered up her stuff and got up. Waving and blowing a kiss to Eli, she left to go see Wallace.

It didn't take her long to get to Wallace's dorm. She knocked on the door, and David opened the door, country music blaring. "Is Wallace here?" she asked.

David stepped back. "Come in. He didn't go far. He'll be right back. You're welcome to wait," David said. He suppressed a grin of excitement at her presence.

Jazmin stepped inside, not exactly comfortable to be alone in a room with him but not knowing how to get out of the situation. When David shut the door behind her, she didn't see him turn the lock. She turned around and faced him. "Let me turn the radio down," he said. He went to the radio and turned it down slightly.

"Where did he go? He sent me a text telling me that he needed to talk to me," Jazmin said.

David tried to act casual. He shrugged. "I don't know. He didn't say you were coming here. He told me that he was going to get Piz," he said.

"So he already left?" Jazmin asked in confusion. "Then why did he text me?"

David gave her a self-deprecating smile. "Well, to be honest, he didn't," David confessed almost bashfully.

Jazmin looked surprised. "He didn't? But it was from his phone," she said.

David lifted his hand and held up Wallace's phone. "He left it," David admitted.

Dismay filled Jazmin as she realized that David had basically lured her to his room under false pretenses. She looked at the closed door that David was partially blocking. This was not a good position to be in. Knowing she needed to leave, she said. "Okay. Well, if he's not here, I'm going to go."

"I really wish that you wouldn't," David said. "I like seeing you."

"David, you know that I have a boyfriend. We can't ever be more than friends," Jazmin said firmly, eying him warily.

"Now why don't I believe you?" he said with a grin. He stepped closer to her. "I think you and I could have a really great time together if you'd relax."

"That's not going to happen!" she insisted.

David's easy smile left, and he frowned in displeasure. "I wish you wouldn't be like that. I really do. I've been more than nice, haven't I?" he asked. Not waiting for her reply, he turned to his dresser and opened a drawer.

She didn't see what he grabbed but looked startled when he turned up his radio. A self-preservation instinct kicked in and Jazmin walked slowly toward the door. "You have but it doesn't change the fact that I have a boyfriend," she said firmly, inching her way to the door.

Keeping one of his hands behind his back, David turned to intercept her. He smiled. "You can't leave yet," he said easily.

"Yes, I can," she replied in annoyance. "Move out of my way!"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I don't want you to leave yet," he said.

Jazmin's wariness turned to fear. Surely, he wasn't going to force her to stay in his presence. Was he?

******To Be Continued******

Some of you had good instincts about David! I never meant for him to be a good guy.