Re: Freshmen Dorms

[Guest]

Ashlee? Oh right the short kid.

"Um... shit. Maybe try talking to her? You guys seem to get along and stuff, I mean if it doesn't work then I guess we can stay back. But just let me know. " Jacob said to Seth turning to go back into his room.

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth sighed. Honestly the only reason he was even considering going was because his dad would kill him for impulsively getting the jet readied when he hadn't made a full plan.

He walked toward the living room, dodging Lucifer, and pulling out his phone as he walked. He scrolled to Ashlee's number and dialed.

***

Evelyn had finished packing and decided to get her mail for the week (she'd kept forgetting) before she left the city. She left Nova behind and walked out into the hallway, heading for the stairwell because for some reason, the elevator kept looking foreboding. At least she could run in the stairwell.

[Guest]

Ashlee had been digging through her clothes, she had gotten kind of warm from packing and stuff and took off her bright blue [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] she had heard her phone vibrating and dug through a pile of clothes turning it over she saw Seth's name flash across the ID and she rolled her eyes hitting the ignore button.

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth groaned. Lovely. Looked like they weren't going. In all honesty, he could get why people might tbe mad at Jake's smartmouth but what had he done? How come Ashlee and James seemed intent on blaming him for what Jake had said? And then they apparently accused him of being a smug douche? At least he wasn't lumping people into categories on a whim!

Seth rolled his eyes and walked to Jake's room, passing it as he said loudly, "No go on Ash Creek!" as he went to his room. He began taking clothes out of his suitcase. He'd take the heat from his dad, because honestly, vacation with those people wouldn't even be worth it. Jake could make do without Evelyn for a few days; given his new night-time wanderings, Seth doubted he'd miss her at all.

Only, it'd be really hard to track Jake in a huge city. But he knew New York like the back of his hand. And unlike Jake, he'd grown up in Manhattan. It was his playing field.

***

Evelyn had reached the lobby and pulled open her mailbox, checking her mail. She grabbed a bunch of envelopes and started back upstairs.

[Guest]

Ah damn it, oh well. I'll have more fun here anyway.

"Oh well, I guess we'll just hang out in the city then." Jake said holding a few shirts in his hands, he went back to his drawer sticking them back in .

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn had gone back to her suite and was rifling through the mail with Nova circling her feet.

It was odd. The moment she'd walked in, Nova had glued himself to her legs, constantly walking a circle around her like he was afraid Jake was about to come crashing into her room again. And she didn't stop the puppy because until she got onto her flight to Ash Creek, she wouldn't consider herself safe.

She was even hesitant about going to her damn dorm room!

She was just about to dismiss most of her mail as junk when her eye caught an envelope. It had a legal looking header on it.

She swallowed and felt vomit build up in her throat. It was the copy of her divorce file the lawyer had sent back. He'd said he'd send her a confirmation it had gone through, and it was only now approved. She swallowed and ripped open the envelope, fighting back the sudden burning behind her eyelids as she looked over the pages she and Jake had signed at a distant law office in the midst of dead winter. A car full of half-drunk people came to mind, an overly decorated backseat with streamers and Jason Derulo music blaring in the stereo. Evelyn felt her eyes sting hotly and reached up a hand, wiping at them furiously.

Damn, does time change things. Was this really two months ago?

And here she was so terrified of Jake, she wasn't even comfortable taking the damn elevator alone!

She could get a restraining order. But it'd make her look crazy. She wasn't even sure if Jake had been sincere in his threat.

What if he was? If she was really gone for a whole week, what would he be doing to occupy himself? Beating up people? Or worse?

Evelyn suddenly realized she really had no choice in the matter. She had to let Seth know that watching Jake had just gotten ten times more deadly. But she didn't want Jake knowing.

She was kind of scared of what he might do to her.

She walked to her dorm room, stumbling aorund Nova, and used the number to dial Seth's cell so it wouldn't show up in her name on th caller ID.

"'Lo?" Seth answered after a moment, sounding kind of grumpy.

"Hey, this is Evelyn," she said, keeping her voice soft. "Um, you have a moment?"

"I have all week," he said grumpily. "Not goin' anywhere!"

Evelyn frowned but shook it off. "Look, this is about Jake," she said, voice quiet. "He, um..."

She had a sudden horrible feeling her call could probably be recorded by someone out there. "Look, can you meet me in the lounge in ten? I have to talk to you. I - It - It's urgent. Don - Don't tell him you're meeting me, please!" The last word had a note of urgency because she couldn't stress enough how terrified she was of Jake finding out she was blabbing.

Seth went silent a moment. He glanced up at the open doorway of his room, wondering where Jake was. "Okay, I'll see ya in ten, bro!" he said, raising his voice to a normal decibel and injecting in a tone of nonchalance.

"Merci," Evelyn said quietly, and hung up, darting out of her dorm room.

***

Seth was extremely intrigued by all of this. Hadn't she and Jake just worked it out? Yet Seth doubted she'd be meeting him in secret if that were really the case. Jake was probably being his "whatever" self again.

Seth grabbed his denim jacket and keys, walking out of his room and past Jake's. "Be back in a bit, Jake!" he called and took his slow time, figuring he'd give Evelyn a head start. He sat down on a chair and began tying the laces of his sneakers on, whistling.

[Guest]

Jacob had been unpacking his suitcase when he heard Seth's voice, he raised an eyebrow. Where was Seth going. "Okay! Where you going?" Jake asked, wondering if he should follow along or not.

He wasn't sure why but he felt like something might be up.

[Tiger-Lily]

"Meeting Dane downstairs," Seth replied, finishing his laces. "Goin' out for a bit. You want anything?"

[Guest]

"No I'm good. See ya later." Jake said to Seth, he knew Dane was no threat so he figured he was in the clear.

[Tiger-Lily]

"Later," Seth said, expelling a relieved breath at the easy lie. He didn't lie often. He loved twisting the truth but all out lies dismayed him.


Plus, given the fact that Dane had posted on Seth's Facebook wall for all to see that he was leaving just earlier for vacation, meant that if Jake had been on there, he'd catch Seth's lie.

Seht clattered down the stairs and ot the lounge, spotting the redhead instantly. She was easily the one most boys were looking at.

But then as Seth approached where she was sitting, head bent over a magazine, and reached out, tapping her shoulder, Evelyn flinched. Seth saw her face go pale and she swiveled to face him so fast, he wondered how she hadn't broken her spine. THen he wondered whys he was looking a little like a scared rabbit on a chopping block.

"Whoa! Easy there!" he said reassuringly, and Evelyn's mouth, which had been open slightly almost as if she were about to scream, closed as she relaxed. Seth slowly circled her couch and sat down at its far end. "So, um, what's up?" The lounge was rowdy today with people who hadn't left for break. It was hard to overhear anything.

Evelyn crossed and uncrossed her legs. She had a different shirt on to the clothes she'd worn just earlier that morning, and Seth wondered at this oddness. If the girl liked changing, why not change all of it?

"Um," she began, voice wa too soft to be heard. Seth leaned toward her and braced an arm on the middle seat, screwing up his face. Evelyn seemed to catch his signal and leaned over so he coudl hear her without her having to raise her voice.

Again, what was so important she couldn't say it out loud?

"You need to watch Jake. Every night. Every damn moment of the day," she began. Seth rolled his eyes.

"I know this already!"

"Shut up," she said, voice wavering and Seth was so stunned, he complied. She bit her lip and went on. Her eyes nervously scoped the room. "He doesn't know you're here, right?"

"He...Jake?" Seth asked and she seemed almost thrown off track before she nodded. "No, he thinks i'm meetin' Dane here. We're good."

Evelyn continued. "Okay, so um....earlier, I don't knwo if you noticed, but Jake kind of went loco and talked about something inside of him." Seht nodded.

"And hten he came to my room after that," she said but at this point, Seth held up his hand,, eyes wide.

"Wait, wait, waiiiit! I don't wanna hear TMI details of you two getting it on, okay? I mean, geez, I'm happy for you but if that's what he meant by fixing everything with you - "

"Is that what he told you?" she asked, and her voice was so suddenly high-pitched that Seth passed again. And realized, to his horror, that Evelyn's eyes looked wet.

Oh no, abort mission! Ground control, we have an S-O-S approaching!

"Sorry, look, ugh," he began, wondering why she was freaking going to cry.

"He tried to rape me," she said, voice getting swallowed up by the volume in the room.

But Seth heard her. Evelyn turned away from him and dropped her head into her hands, leaving him reeling in shock. The first thought was, no! Jake would NEVER, nto in a million years! Not even to a nightmare like Rachel! "He owuldn't - he - that's not him - I know Jake!" he said alud, feelign anger start to pool in. Evelyn's shoulders slumped at his words and for a second, he paused, wondering if he was even sure anymore.

But he'd known Jake in freaking juvie! That place brought out the worst in people! "Evelyn!" he said, and then lowered his voice as people shot looks at her. Miserable-looking girls in public always made him feel like a douche. Seth waved his hands. "Look. It was probably a misunderstanding. Jake's very, um, sexually-driven. You know that, he probably didn't get you wanted nothing to do with - " She was a prude anyways, he recalled. Maybe Jake was trying to give her a push. "He was probably thinking he could push you and make you agree," Seth said, starting to panic when she didn't lift her head. "Don Juan charm and all that."

"He tore the shoulder of my shirt," she said finally, voice sounding hoarse like she'd been crying while he was blabbing on. "Is how much he wanted to push me. A-and then knocked away my bottle of mace a-a-and when I tried t-to run, he slam - slammed me ag-ag-against a wall."

No, he wouldn't, Seth's brain argued angrily. He'd never do that in a million years. Not to you, Evelyn. Most definitely not to you, or any girl!

What the hell could he say though? Evelyn was taking deep, slow breaths, he could see her shoulders shaking. He'd never seen her cry before, if that was what she was doing," he realized with some horror. Jake had. He was usually the one who'd be holding her and whispering cheesy shit.

Seth's stomach dropped. Jake wouldn't - he just wouldn't! It was impossible! Speaking from a guy's perspective, he wasn't trying to be cliche or cheesy in his strong belief about Jake's sex drive. Sure, he knew Jake wanted her, but Seth also knew, from one guy to another, that Jake had drawn a line at pushing her into something she didn't want. A line he would never cross, no matter how much alcohol he had.

"He made me a death threat," she said suddenly, interrupting his mental battle. "For some reason, when I said his name, he just froze and went all weird and...and he acted like that panicked Jake we saw earlier. He...he wanted me to kill him." Her head shot up and Seht was relieved to see her eyes were dry. This meant no consoling was required of him! Sweet Jesus!

Wait what?

"He wanted you to..." Seth stared at her, eyes wide. "The fuck?! Right after he - uh - attacked you?"

She nodded, rubbing her forehead. "And I kind of got a bit panicked when he tried to make me hold his kn-nife. And then all of a sudden, he just sort of ha a mini-blackout moment and woke up and was all, "You shouldn't have dropped your only weapon." And there was....this creepy smile on his face. And he picked up the knife and...told me it'd be too messy to kill me right then." Evelyn's voice, Seth noticed, became robotic at this point, monotone. "He told me he'd make me wait till I least expected it, and then do it, and then he....he kissed me and left," she finished, face blank like she was talking about a school assignment.

She was still doing that occasional check aorund the room. Looking for Jake, he suddenly understood with growing dismay. She was afraid he'd come back. To rape and kill her?

"This is just...it's insane, Evelyn," he said, and was shocked to hear his own voice weakening in its firmness. He couldn't believe this! Jake was one of is closest friends! What if she was lying?! How would he know?

"Don't have to believe me," she said, getting slowly to her feet. She turned to face him as she tossed the magazine on the table nearby. "Just...make sure you watch him as much as you can. Jake's completely lost it and is capable of much more than you'd like to believe. I understand where you're coming from - I let Jake into my room, you know?" Her eyes looked oddly shiny again, and she blinked furiously as if trying to hold back tears. "But I'd never accuse a guy of something as disgusting as....this. Not unless it had really happened."

She turned and walked out of the lounge, leaving him sitting there stock still.

[Guest]

Jacob had been in his room, and decided that he'd go on his computer. He figured he needed to make it seem like everything with Jacob was okay, so that there wouldn't be any suspicion of his motives.

Jake wandered from friends pages all stating their excitement for spring break when he landed on Seth's page though he saw something that made him raise his eyebrow. It was a post Dane had left on Seth's wall, saying how he'd be gone for spring break.

So if Dane was gone then who was Seth really meeting downstairs? Jake pondered that thought closing his laptop.

It can't be the red head! I left her crying in her room. Still, I'll ask the kid when he gets back. And well if he knows too much, I can arrange it so he knows nothing.

***

Ashlee had heard Evelyn's voicemail, she sounded kind of flustered and distraught. So Ashlee quickly dialled her back.

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn's phone buzzed in the back pocket of her jeans and she sucked in her breath, hating herself for being so damn jumpy. But who knew where Jake was?

She scanned the lobby with quick eyes as she walked to the elevator, which was filling up so she was safe.

Seth had still not followed her. Evelyn figured since she had a couple hours left before her flight, she'd hit the library and get some of her work one (and get away from Jake).

She headed up to the fifth floor in the lift just as Seth walked out of the lounge and took the stairs, mind reeling.

Evelyn had hit the ignore button on her phone when she saw the ID. She didn't want to divulge the whole thing over the damn phone anyways. If she told Ashlee, it'd be safely in Ash Creek.

Besides, she had an odd suspicion that her voice would probably sound teary and she'd break down if she opened her quivering lips. And in a lift full of strangers, that was not appealing.

She went to her suite, hugged Nova in passing, went to her room, tossed her laptop and textbooks and a few other things into a tote and hugged Nova as she exited the suite.

She headed down to the lobby again.

***

Seth reached his suite and entered, taking off his jacket slowly. He hung it on a chair, licking his lips as he wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a Sprite, snapping the tab off dazedly.

[Guest]

Jake's head perked up when he heard the door open, Seth had returned. He could hear him in the kitchen so Jake walked slowly over there leaning against the fridge.

"So how was Dane?" Jake asked nonchalantly.

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth stiffened. This was odd. Why was Jake asking him how Dane was? He usually never gave a shit abotu who Seth met.

Seth wondered if Jake had sudden;y been Facebooking. Fuck. He knows...

Why was he panicking over this? It was just Jake!

But then Evelyn's fear-filled eyes came to mind and Seth swallowed, turning to face the Spaniard. He took a swig of soda. "Dane's good, but...lucky bitch is heading out right now, goin' to Honolulu. He asked me to come with him, so you better be damn well grateful I stayed loyal, bitch." Seth pulled a face at Jake.

Jake looked so normal, leaning there against the fridge like he had countless times. He didn't look like he'd just almost raped a poor girl!

[Guest]

"Oh I see, sounds cool." Jake said coolly as he sat on the counter like Jake would.

Jacob had a feeling that Seth was still lying to him about this meeting with Dane. But he didn't want to call Seth out simply because that would mean drawing attention to himself. Although judging by how Seth was acting it seemed like he knew something.

And if it was true then Jake knew he couldn't stay here because that meant Seth would be keeping an eye out on him, and he couldn't escape.

So he needed a plan to get himself away, after searching through Jake's thoughts he discovered that his father works nights this week since he's a pilot and his mother being a heavy sleeper Jacob used to sneak out of his home in Brooklyn all the time.

Perfect. Plus their relationship was rocky so Jake could easily lie saying he wanted to fix things.

Excellent.

"Hey Seth, I figured maybe I go stay with my rents a few days you know? Kinda fix things up with them and what not." Jake told Seth.

[Tiger-Lily]

"Sure, sounds good," Seth said, digging through the fridge for a snack. He bit his lip hard as his mind went to what Evelyn had told him. Not to let Jake out of his sight, no matter what.

Even if Jake was in Brooklyn, didn't mean Seth couldn't track him. Seth straightened and closed the fridge door. "Damn it, I think Tony ate everything before he left, the pig!"

He shot Jake a glance as he walked past the Spaniard out of the kitchen. "Let me know when you're going so I can arrange something with Rafe, yeah?"

[Guest]

"Yeah I think I'm gonna leave in a couple hours, you know my mom goes to bed early so I'd gotta get there before nine. So I'm gonna get some of my stuff together." Jake said, sliding off the counter and walking to his room.

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth nodded and pulled out his phone to let Rafe know he might head home. Btu then stopped and looked up at Jake's back.

He grinned devilishly and walked to his room.

Who said he had to stalk Jake himself? There were people PAID to do this kind of shit. While Jake stayed in Brooklyn, he could have a little tail who looked unfamiliar. So Jake wouldn't suspect him at all. Seth flipped open his laptop and began typing.

***

[[FF'd to three hours later]]

Evelyn had returned from the library - in one piece - and was now dragging her two large [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] pieces out into the hallway. Nova was in a large carrier, sitting impatiently while she locked up her suite.

When she turned to head down to the elevator, though, Nova began growling softly. Evelyn looked around, and then paled in horror right as she hit the elevator call button.

Jake was at the other end of the hall, outside his suite. Where was he going?!

Please hurry, please hurry, she pleaded to the damn lift, swallowing hard and looking away. The corridor was unmercifully empty right now.

[Guest]

Jacob had slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, he figured no better escape than to go to Brooklyn away from Seth's watchful eye, he knew Seth had found out and Jake started to feel like he was being monitored.

As he turned though his eyes spotted a familiar bronze head and he smiled, he could practically hear Nova growling, since Jake knew she was taking the flea bag with her to Ash Creek. He licked his lips and began walking down the hall towards the elevator.

He could feel the tension in the air, Jake felt like an animal himself. It was like he could smell the fear from Evelyn as he approached her and it made him feel good. Jake slowed his pace to practically a stop when he heard the elevator ding, and the doors opened to the open elevator. "Going down?" Jake asked her.

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn couldn't even speak right now, she was breathing so hard and her chest ached as her heart hurtled against her ribs as if in fear Jake was about to physically maim it. He just might.

He was right behind her. Too close. She couldn't think straight in panic. She had a sudden urge to call James and Luke and ask them to come up and help her carry her shit down. They were already in the lobby.

Her grip on her duffel bag weakened as her fingers began to shake and the bag thudded to the floor. Nova barked in alarm and she knelt hastily and snatched it up again. "Yes." It came out in a quiet, stiff tone which was the best she could manage. Her whole body was stiffening now, yet her hands continued to shake as she reached out and held the doors of the lift with one hand while she set her duffel bag inside and then began kicking her remaining suitcase inside. Nova's cage, still in the hallway, was shaking as the dog growled warningly.

[Guest]

Jacob went to walk into the elevator walking into Nova's cage purposely, and brushed it off like he had done it accidentally. "Oops, sorry." He said picking up the cage holding it a distance from him since he knew Nova was always trying to give Jacob away setting the cage down near Evelyn's luggage in the elevator he walked in standing near the control panel, he hit the button to close the doors, resting his hand against it, it was dangerously close to the emergency stop button.

Jake knew he couldn't kill Evelyn in an elevator simply because well, there was no escape. But it didn't mean he couldn't screw with her.

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn's eyes flickered to Jake's fingers on the Close Doors button. It was like he was closing her in this horror house with him. For some reason, her stomach tightened into a knot. She noticed how his hand hovered over the stop button.

Why was he trying to cover that?

Her eyes automatically flicked up to his face, meeting his brown eyed gaze. That part of her that still held onto her feelings for the old Jake began aching on top of the panic she was starting to feel being trapped in here with him. It was a confusing, and sickening, catharsis in her head.

She looked away from him, as Nova's growls subsided but he never took his gaze off of Jake. Evelyn had sidled over to the corner behind Nova's cage, as far from the Spaniard as she could get Her body was still remembering the incident of earlier and she couldn't bring herself to do anything but stare at her boots.

[Guest]

"Why the long face Red? You're not excited to go back to your little town and get away from the city?" Jake asked drumming his fingers on the panel.

[Tiger-Lily]

Evelyn glanced up, startled. Why on earth was he talking to her? And pretending nothing had happened?

She wasn't going to comply, though. She was sick of feeling so tossed around by him. So she simply looked down at Nova's cage, and then pulled her iPhone out of her jacket pocket, deliberately plugging in her earphones.

[Guest]

Jacob stared at Evelyn for a moment, so she was giving him the silent treatment. Jacob crossed the elevator placing a hand up against the wall, he lifted Evelyn's chin with his finger so he was gazing into her green eyes. "You know we could have some fun before you leave." He smirked, going in and kissing her slowly.

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