"I-I have to go to the bathroom." I stammered quickly and jumped to my feet as the crowd continued to cheer.

"What? You can't hold it?" Denton shouted over the noise. "The match is almost over!"

I didn't hear him though. It was like my vision had completely tunnel focused on the door I saw that blond head disappear through. "I'll take you, Rose. Hold on." Trey sounded from beside me, but I had darted up through the crowd before he had a chance to stand.

"Rosalyn wait!" I heard him shout, but I was basically swallowed by the crowd before he could stop me.

A part of me felt bad for bailing, especially after that whole 'do not leave her' fiasco from this morning. But if it was Jax, I wasn't so sure it was a good idea for them to meet. The back of the building was empty, since everyone standing and sitting were all surrounding the ring.

I practically raced around the perimeter of the large room until I came face to face with the door I had seen him disappear through. I didn't knock or anything, completely oblivious to the fact that it might have been a locker room.

I burst through the door only to stumble into a dimly lit hallway. There was an open room at the end of the hall with light and the faint sound of laughter floating through it. I tried not to run as I hurried down the hall, but I was too nervous he would leave the building all together and I wouldn't find him.

I came to a halt in front of the room, the door wide open to reveal, yup, a guy's locker room. There were five of them, all half naked or covered up by a towel. Heat flamed my cheeks when every pair of eyes turned at the sound of my steps. They were mostly all older guys too. At least three of them in their upper twenties or early thirties. The other two looked more around Rex's age.

No one said anything for one long, drawn out moment. My face was on fire and they looked just as surprised to see me as I was to see them. "Uh, um. Uh, I'm so sorry-" I stammered like a buffoon and held my hands up in some form of surrender, though I had absolutely no idea what I was surrendering to.

"Rose?" And like a knight in half-naked armor that voice that pulled me out of so many nightmares spoke up from the back of the room.

I hadn't seen him around the wall of lockers from where I was standing in the entrance. But then he walked to the front of the room, those electric blue eyes opened wide in surprise, and all that embarrassment flew from my mind.

"Jax!" His name left my lips in a thrilled squeal and I practically launched myself at his shirtless body. He was wearing shorts though, not a towel, so we're all good.

"Whoa, Rosie." His voice was light as he laughed in my ear, his arms coming up awkwardly as I wrapped mine tightly around his waist. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, because believe I am, but you really shouldn't be in a guy's locker room." He backed us slowly out as he talked, the guys behind him snickering under their breaths as he did. I didn't care.

"What are you doing here?" Jax asked when he was finally able to drag me out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"I thought I saw you go into this door, and I did! And you're here!" My arms squeezed tighter around him, like he would disappear at any moment if I didn't. I hadn't seen him in so long.

His laugh turned into a chuckle and he patted me lightly on the shoulders as I pressed my cheek against him. "Okay, by why are you here, Bae? You shouldn't be around fighting. You know what it does to your-"

"Rosalyn!"

Oof.

I had forgotten about Trey.

The mountain of a man/boy came barreling through the door, and the look on his face was anything but happy. I pulled reluctantly away from Jax, my ecstatic smile slowly falling away in guilt.

"H-Hey, Trey." I tried to give him a sheepish smile and little wave as he came stomping over to us, the twins hot on his heels, but the overprotective blond behind me had other ideas.

Just like when we were little, Jax gripped tightly onto my arm and dragged me behind him like he could be the Great Wall of China against anything that would hurt me.

Trey didn't miss a beat. He stopped a few feet away, his usually bright eyes dark as he glanced between us. "Who the fuck are you?" Jax started off angrily, his fist tight as his side as his arm kept me pushed back.

"No Jax! It's okay, they're my friends!" I swatted at his tight grip, though that did nothing.

"You know him, Rose?" Trey asked barely a few feet in front of us, the twins standing awkwardly at his side like they weren't sure what to do.

"Um, yes!" Think fast. Think fast. I couldn't tell them how we knew each other. They would tell Rex and then I would have to tell him everything. I couldn't tell him everything. He would leave.

"We went to middle school together!"

Yes! I'm good.

Jax's bright blue eyes snapped over to mine, a blond eyebrow raised in question, but I just shook my head and yanked my arm until he finally let go. "Who are these people, Rosie?" He asked instead of correcting my answer. I shot him a small smile in thanks before stepping around him.

"They're my friends from school, and I came with them to watch our other friend. And they're super awesome so you have to be nice." I hissed and scowled at him, but he just rolled those blue eyes.

"I'm always nice."

"Rose..." Trey started softly and took a step towards us. "We should probably get going." His green eyes flickered between us uncertainly. "If Rex finds out you ran off, he will lose his-"

"I already know."

And like saying his name could summon the devil, Rex walked around the corner at the end of the hall. His perfectly toned body out for all to see. My heart jumped at the sight of him, like it did whenever I saw him, and my body automatically turned to him.

But he so didn't look happy.

I tried to give him a warm smile, but the dark look in his eyes killed any chance of that. I tugged on the ends of my hair nervously as the other boys watched our little tense exchange.

"I'm really sorry." I started softly as he walked over to us, a towel in his hand as he wiped the sweat out of his hair. "I saw my friend, and I wasn't thinking, and I..." The words died on my lips as Jax took a step closer, his protective mode still rearing its head. Rex's dark gaze snapped to him his jaw gritting shut.

"You're her friend?" His tone held that dark grumble it always did when he was upset, and it made my stomach drop to my feet. I hated making him upset, especially when I knew it was all my fault.

"I guess I should be asking you that too." Jax didn't sound half as angry as Rex did, but I knew him enough to know he was beyond confused at this whole situation.

"You two... know each other?" My voice cut through the thick slab of tension that suddenly surrounded the group. Oh God, what have I done?

"Yeah, we're part of the same gym." Jax answered. Rex grunted. They didn't break eye contact and I could practically feel the testosterone level rising each second. Here I was freaking out about them meeting when they already knew each other—though, this wasn't exactly a good meet and greet.

I was still angled slightly behind Jax, a fact Rex didn't miss, and his eyes flickered briefly over to me before back at my best friend. "Rosalyn, come here." He held his hand out for me, and I started biting nervously at my bottom lip.

I suddenly felt like a piece of meat the two of them were fighting over, and I didn't like it. Jax was harmless, to me at least, and I wanted to explain that to Rex desperately. The look in his eyes is what made me stop—for the moment.

Last night when he had asked me not to leave him, he had looked so—so sad. He only let people see that hard ice exterior of his, but when it was just us, he was soft, and sweet, and sometimes just ridiculously somber. When he briefly glanced over at me, I saw that sadness there, and it was a look I wanted to take away from him with all my heart.

I stepped away from Jax and slipped my hand into Rex's. He pulled me easily into his side, and like a giant boulder had been lifted off his shoulders the tension in the room died away—a little.

"So not what I was expecting today to be like." Jax suddenly said on a laugh, and all eyes snapped to him. He reached up and ran a hand through his shaggy blond hair before glancing back over at me. "You got a lot of explaining to do, Rosie, but I'm about to be called next." He shot me that beaming, disarming smile of his that he could use to charm his way out of anything.

Rex's hand tightened around mine, his body angling as if to block me from Jax's view. Those blue eyes rolled as he stepped away from the tense group. "Listen dude, I'm the last person that will ever hurt her. Think about your reputation around here before you start shooting those daggers at me."

Oh boy...

I was preparing for the worst, especially after that lovely little comment, but Rex stayed completely silent as Jax side stepped around us and headed for the corner Rex had come around. "Nice to meet you guys." Jax nodded sarcastically at Trey and the twins. "See you later, Rose! Don't forget, my birthday's next week!" And then with a laugh that was just so typically Jax, he disappeared.

A part of me wanted to chase after him and never let him leave again, but a bigger part wanted to make sure Rex was okay—or as okay as he can be. The silence that surrounded us was deafening, and no one made a move to break it. The tension had barely died away with Jax's departure, and that cold, calm of Rex's worried me.

"I think-" Trey started gently, only for Rex to shoot him a look.

"I'm going to go take a shower." He announced to the group and tried to pull his hand out of my grip. I panicked and tightened my hand around his. He was mad at me. I didn't want him leaving when I didn't have a chance to explain why I ran off or who Jax was.

He paused but kept that gaze pointed away as those dark eyes closed. "I can't right now, Rose." His voice wasn't angry, but it was low and the somber tone of it tore at my heart.

I shook my head almost viciously and wrapped both of my arms tightly around the one I was attached to, sprained wrist and all. "You're mad at me." I mumbled and pressed my cheek against his strong bicep. I did not have one care in the world that he was still covered in sweat.

"I'm just... I'm gross and I need a shower." The sudden distance in his voice caused an icy vine to wrap around my heart—thorns in all. "I'll be out in a couple." He pulled away, and I let my arms fall to my side.

There was... nothing in his voice. No anger, no sadness, no smile, just nothing. That hurt worse than the anger. Suddenly it felt like last night never happened. Like we were back to square one where he wouldn't even look at me.

This was my fault. I did this.

I tried not to let the others see the water in my eyes as Rex walked away. He didn't glance back as he pushed into the locker room and closed the door. My eyes were glued to the scar on his back, and that reminder only made everything ten times worse. My throat burned.

"Well that was fun." Denton chirped from beside his brother, only to earn a swift smack to the back of the head.

"OW! Brett, you dick!"

I couldn't even laugh.

Trey came up behind me, his large hand covering my shoulder as I stared hopelessly at the locker room's door. "Don't worry, Princess. He just needs a couple of minutes. He'll be fine."

I hiccuped and wiped quickly at a drop of water I felt touch my cheek. I didn't want them to know I was crying. I didn't want to cry at all but watching him walk away was like watching my heart grow legs and jump off a cliff.

"So, who was that guy, Buttercup?" Denton pipped up as Trey wrapped a reassuring arm around my shoulders. I tried to keep my face pointed away from their direction.

"A friend." I mumbled quietly. I doubted they could hear, but Denton babbled along afterwards so it didn't matter.

"He's weird. Never seen a guy with hair like that. Is it natural? No way its fake. They couldn't put that color in a box-"

Trey eased us away from the twins and lead me a few feet down the dimly lit hallway, his arm still wrapped loosely around my shoulders. "Hey, don't cry." He soothed softly, which did absolutely nothing to stop the tears.

I hiccuped again and pushed my palms into my eyes to try and make the burning go away. It was difficult with the splint. "I-I'm sorry. I'm not meaning to."

"I know, Princess. But there's nothing to be upset over. He just doesn't want to get angry around you. If he knew you were crying-"

"No!" I hiccuped again and wiped hastily at my eyes. "No, don't tell him! I don't want to make this situation any worse."

Trey let out a small sigh and squeezed his arm tighter around me in some form of a hug. "It won't make it worse. You're allowed to cry, especially when he's being like this." I only shrugged but still choked down the tears as he pulled his arm away.

"We were doing so well, and then I just-" hiccup "-had to go and ruin everything."

"No, no, you didn't ruin anything. I mean, running off wasn't the greatest idea but you know he's only upset about that because of what happened before. And that blond kid-"

"Jax."

"Right. Jax. No one was expecting you to know each other, and you know how Rex gets when other guys try to be touchy with you."

I brushed the last few tears away and wrapped my arms protectively around my stomach. Trey was making me feel slightly better, but that didn't change the fact that Rex turned that emotionless tone on me. That he walked away. And regardless of what Trey said, it was all my fault.

"I wish he wouldn't get so mad at that." I mumbled a moment later, my arms still wrapped tightly around myself. "Not everyone is trying to hurt me."

He let out a small chuckle, his green eyes back to their usual bright, happy shine. "That's not why he gets mad."

"What do you mean?" But then the door was opening again, and my attention completely shifted towards it.

Male laughter still sounded from the room as Rex stepped into the hallway, his gym bag slung over his now-clothed shoulder. My stomach twisted in knots. For the first time in a long time I wanted to run away from him, just to avoid that emotionless tone and distant gaze.

I was starting to think that was the best plan of action when those chestnut eyes glanced over at me. My feet froze to the spot, my arms tightening around my waist like that would hold everything in place. Trey took a step away as Rex walked over, and the twins were trying to act like they weren't paying complete attention.

"Rose..." He started quietly, his dark eyes flickering towards Trey before back to mine. He didn't seem mad, but he definitely wasn't happy either.

I stayed silent, waiting for something I wasn't sure I was ready to here. I just wanted to go back to last night. Go back to the bathroom where he had me pressed against the counter, pleading not to leave him. I guess he didn't realize what I knew. That sooner or later, he would be the one telling me to leave.

His head tilted to the side, his dark brows furrowing together. "Your eyes are red."

I sucked in a ragged breath and let go of my stomach to quickly rub at one of my eyes. "Uh yeah, it's a-allergies." A snicker came from Denton's direction. Traitor.

Rex sighed then, those dark eyes softening as he reached up for the hand I still had rubbing into my eye. I let him grab it as he took a step closer, his gym bag hanging out of the way. "I'm supposed to make you laugh, remember? Not cry."

I couldn't help myself. I just reacted. I was so happy that he wasn't ignoring me that I pulled my hand away from his to wrap my arms tightly around his waist. He made a surprised sound in the back of his throat but didn't pull away as I pressed myself firmly into his chest.

"I'm so sorry. I never meant to upset anyone, especially you."

"It's okay." He soothed, and his voice was that warm timber I loved. "I just..." He paused and let his bag fall to the floor so both arms could wrap around my waist. "I just saw you run off while I was up there and knowing that I wasn't able to go after you in case something was wrong really fucked with my head." He pressed his cheek down against the top of my hair, his arms squeezing me tightly.

"And then that fucking moron was acting like he was protecting you from me, and I just... I didn't like it." He sighed, and I could practically feel the tension leave him.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again." Was all I could think to say as I tried not to swoon in his arms. My little emotional freak out over, I could feel everyone of his strong muscles squished against me and they made my head all foggy.

"Hm." He murmured quietly against my hair, his strong hand gently stroking over my back. We held onto each other for a moment longer, completely oblivious to the other three boys. Though later I found out Trey had left to distract the Dimajios and let us have our little moment. I was beyond grateful.

Talk about embarrassing.

I didn't want to let him go, but I let those strong hands gently coax me away as they gripped at my waist. "You'll explain whatever the hell that was later, right?" Those dark eyes were back to that warm chestnut color, and I found myself nodding almost viciously as a small smile tugged on his lips.

"I'm sad, Roza. You didn't see me win." I knew he was teasing, but my heart still gave a tight little squeeze.

"I know, I'm so sorry! But what I did see was awesome! You kicked butt, so I know you would win."

His smirk turned into that full, dimple smile that made me weak in the knees, and I suddenly found it nearly impossible to tear my eyes away from the sight. He chuckled, and his warm hands ran up my arms as those dark eyes flashed.

"I like that look on your face."

"What look?" My brow furrowed at the statement, but his lips fell back into that tummy turning sexy smirk of his and I got distracted.