I drop my fork on my plate and look at Evan who's frowning at me. "Will you take me home, right now?" I say and he frowns, but nods nonetheless as he takes a sip of water before standing up.

"Shit." Chris curses under his breath as he tries to reach for me but I pull away.

Evan looks at Rose but she gives him an understanding nod, "It's okay, I'll catch a ride with Breanna." She says but I am already walking away from the table by then.

I hear Chris starting to follow me but when I look back, Evan stands in front of him, "I don't know what happened, but let it be for now." He tells him.

Chris is about to argue when I scoff, turning to get out of the door. I step out under the dark sky and then I feel Evan behind me. He doesn't say a word as he takes my hand in his and we walk to his car.

"You wanna drive?" He asks and I shake my head, getting into the passenger seat.

He slides in the driver's seat before he turns the engine. We drive silently until I feel awful about this whole situation, "I am so sorry for ruining your dinner, I know you wanted to go to this place so bad but I asked you to leave it in between." I groan with my head in my hands, removing my glasses.

"An, it's fine. You wanna talk about what happened?" He asks and I shake my head but then nod.

"Stacey happened." I snort, "They used to date, you know?"

I look over at him and he gives me an apologetic look, "I thought he told you." He says and I shake my head.

"You knew?"

"He was in the team back then as well, so like everyone knew. He started switching from one girl to another after they broke up last year." He says and I nod. "Who told you if he didn't?"

"Caitlyn." I say and he shakes his head, "She said shit like they were each other's first and that one time he called her by Stacey's name by mistake." I feel the tears pricking my eyes as I take a sucky breath in.

"Shit." Evan grimaces. "But it's Caitlyn, An. She wanted to be in your head, and she is."

"That's not what this is about."

"Then?"

"He just said something I never imagined him to say, it was like he was mocking my feelings when he has spent all this time making me believe that he actually respects them somewhat. I mean, the fact that he said them to Stacey with sarcasm just makes it worse." I finally feel a tear drop when Evan stops outside my house.

His hand comes over mine as he gives it a light squeeze, "Give him a chance to explain when he comes over, alright?" He says and I nod.

"I thought you didn't like him." I tell him honestly.

"I don't, but you obviously do." I nod at that and he sighs, "Do you want me to come in?" He asks and I shake my head.

"Wanna be alone for a while." I tell him and he nods.

I get out of the car, my phone buzzing with Chris's name flashing but I ignore it as I make my way inside the house. I go upto my room and change out of my tight jeggings before pulling on my ladybug pjs. Yup, they are super cute and super comforting. I pull a loose t-shirt over my head and lay down in my bed.

My eyes stay fixed to my ceiling as a few tears slide down the side of my face but I immediately wipe them. I hate being a cry baby. It's just not me yet I find myself crying more than anyone else I know.

I was ready to give him a chance to explain, to give him time to come around before he told me about Stacey — on his own fucking terms. But his words kind of blew me over, stabbing my heart like he had the power to crush it.

When someone tells me I am naive and forgive easily, I understand that because I know I am like that. Chris said cruel words to me, and I let it slip because I didn't want to lose what we have just started. He forgot to mention that he was picking up his ex girlfriend from the airport, I let that slip too. Whatever bullshit Caitlyn fed me, well, I am not sure how much of it was true, so I don't let it get to me. But then he right out insulted my feeling, mocking them in front of a girl who is nothing but a stranger to me.

And, those are the feelings that I have never said out aloud apart from confessing it to my father, which he overheard. Sure, my group of friends know that I had a 'crush' on Evan, but they probably assumed I was over it when I started dating Chris. But him telling his ex girlfriend things that are person to me, it just doesn't sit right!

I hear the shutting down and opening up of cabinets downstairs, enough to tell me that my father is home, but I know he would be tired and go to bed because he'll assume I'm already asleep or out with friends.

But then, the doorbell rings and I curse under my breath, already having a pretty good clue who it will be at this hour.

I secretly hope that Dad wouldn't let him in, but he is as good as Evan so he would just push me into a situation which I really don't want to face. So, I am not surprised when minutes later I hear footsteps outside my room and then a subtle lock.

But, I don't move. I don't move to open it or let him in because I don't want to see him right now.

"Claire." I hear his voice on the other side as I hear him knock again but I just push my face in my pillow to block out his voice.

"Talk to me." His voice is soft, but I heard that same soft voice last week and gave right into it. "Please." He adds, his voice strained.

I sit up in my bed, staring at the door as I feel him on the other side of it, it's like my body can actually tell that he's on the opposite side but then he starts moving, and a part of me is relieved that he's leaving but the other huge part of me feels sorry for myself because he didn't even put up a good effort.

It surprises me after five minutes I hear the footsteps again and a key being inserted into my doorknob which makes me shoot right out of my bed as I go to stand against my door, my body weight against it as Chris twists the knob. The door is ajar but I keep my weight on it.

"You've got to be kidding me." He mutters, "Step aside, Claire. I don't want to hurt you."

"The joke is on you, Jay, you already did." I snap back, aware of my harsh tone but I really don't care at the moment.

To hell with being a sacrificer! Why the hell should I get hurt when he's the one who's being an asshole?

He stops making efforts for a second and I let off my weight which turns out to be a huge mistake because he pushes open the door, stepping in as he looks down at me.

"Seriously? Are we doing this?" He asks, running a rushed hand through his hair as he keeps the pair of keys on the dressing table.

"No, we are doing nothing, I am going to sleep and you are getting the hell out of here." I snap, crossing my arms across my chest as I glare at him.

He sighs, stepping forward but I immediately take a step back and a look of horror passes through his eyes. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it just as quickly when he sees the look on my face and then a realisation sets down on his features.

"Can we talk, please?" He begs and I shake my head.

"I have listened to you sweet talk, and I don't want to hear it."

He doesn't break eye contact as he opens his mouth to speak but I put my hand up for him to stop. He looks conflicted but I shake my head at him as I point towards the door, asking him to leave but he just stands his ground firmly.

I feel like ripping my hair out.

"I actually thought you respected my feelings, Jay," I start, now that I know he's not leaving, "I don't choose to love him and you out of all people know how afraid I am of saying that out aloud, but I really thought that you understood, that you respected it yet you chose to be with me."

He nods, "What I said back there? Totally inappropriate and unnecessary! I shouldn't have said that out aloud even though that was the first thing that came to my mind. But, that doesn't make it okay, so I really apologise for hurting your feelings."

A scoff escape my lips as I look at him, "I don't want your apology, I really don't. You can go to hell with it." I tell him, moving towards my bed but he catches my arm. My eyes move to where he is touching me but all I feel is anger towards him as I cock my head to the side, as if challenging him to keep holding onto it.

He quickly lets go of my arm as his jaw twitches, "Is there any way I can make this right?" He asks.

I turn to him, nodding and a sliver of hope brightens his face at that. "Why don't you explain that why the hell didn't you tell me she's your ex-girlfriend? You give me a good reason, and I'll let this go."

His face pales as he stares at me, probably wondering how I found out which is kind of entertaining because he's forgetting that he's popular and things like these don't go away hidden for a long time where people like him are concerned.

"I—" he falters, tugging at the roots of his hair as he meets my eyes, clearing his throat, "I didn't tell you because that relationship doesn't concern this one."

"Would it be concerning when you call me by her name in bed?" I ask, not caring that I am indeed letting Caitlyn feed at my thoughts like a leech.

His mouth falls open, "What are you talking about?" His voice is almost a whisper, as if he cannot believe what I just said.

"Stace. Is that what you call her, Chris?" I ask, cocking my head to the side as I observe his features.

The realisation hits him as his jaw tenses, "Are you seriously letting Caitlyn feed you bullshit, Claire?"

"It's not bullshit when it's true." I remind him and his grey eyes darken, almost turning a shade of black as he grits his teeth together.

"It happened an hour after we broke up, forgive me if I was too lost in my ex girlfriend and spilled her name." He shoots back and I'm not sure if I want to laugh or cry.

"Is the fact that you were with another girl after an hour you broke with your girlfriend supposed to make me feel better?" I ask, because I am not sure what his strategy is here. He's just proving himself wrong.

He steps closer but I don't move back this time, because I know he wouldn't touch me after what just happened. A shaky breath leaves him as he throws his head back, staring at the ceiling before he looks back at me.

"This is exactly why I didn't tell you, Claire. My past relationships don't define me. I like you, and you like me, and we've been happy. Can't we just forget about other things? If you wanted a good reason, this is it. I don't want my past relationship haunting the only good thing I have going on for myself in the present."

His last few words soften my heart a little, but they aren't good enough to mend over whatever shit just went down today. And I am not running back in his arms like last week just because he's saying sweet words to me. I am above that.

"Chris, that's the most load of bullshit I have ever heard." I tell him, and his face falls down as actual hurt takes over his features.

"Claire.." He gives me a look.

"I was actually waiting for you to tell me yourself, I even gave you a chance because I thought that you just needed time. I didn't want to seem clingy, so I let it slip. But the fact that you went to pick her from the airport and were gone for another half of the day just gets to me, no matter what I tell myself." I try to explain to him into words why am I being the way I am, because a tiny part of me feels like I am overreacting.

And maybe I am, but it just doesn't lessen the pain I feel every time I think about Stacey hugging him or sending him kisses. It just rages me more.

"Then you go on and tell her that your girlfriend is in love with her best friend like my feelings are a joke. If you think that I am trailing you along, Chris, I am not. I never asked for more than friendship, and you can leave any fucking time you want if you feel like being in love with him gives me any happiness while I am with you. The guilt is suffocating enough without you mocking my feelings."

The realisation must dawn upon him because his facial expressions turn to that of hurt as he keeps looking at it, as if his brain turning in circles to find the words to tell me, but I know he would come up empty handed.

"You just need to leave right now." I whisper to him and he nods, giving me one last look before he walks out, shutting the door behind him.