“Took you two long enough to find a spoon,” Abby muttered, taking the spoon from my hand and submerging it deep into her yogurt. Jack took a seat two chairs from where I sat and hid a smile.

“Well, the line was long.”

“Line was long, my ass,” she muttered and continued eating. “It’s almost Christmas.”

I felt Jack’s foot sit atop mine as I bit into half of my peanut butter sandwich. Another smile crossed my face unfortunately as Abby looked up from her own lunch.

“What are you so happy about, Lizzie? You hate peanut butter.”

“The...the...um math test?”

“The math test?”

I nodded and pushed my leg closer to Jack’s. “Yeah, nothing gets me more excited than factoring polynomials.”

Jack nodded, finishing off his carton of milk. “That’s all she was talking about this weekend.”

“How would you know? You don’t have a phone and you told me your laptop was dead all weekend. That’s why we couldn’t finish the project.” Abby’s eyes narrowed.

I felt his warm hand atop my shin. “Abby, I was talking to him this morning about my weekend.”

She nodded and then stared at the two of us. “If you two are playing some kind of sick mind game, so help me.”

I took my leg down from Jack’s lap. “We’re not, okay?” It pained me to lie to my best friend, especially when I wanted to tell her everything that happened over the summer. Maybe then she wouldn’t consider me so angelic and pure. But I couldn't. Jack didn’t want anyone to know about us quite yet.

Abby shook her head and looked down at her yogurt. She looked up, her eyes lit with vigor. “Can either of you come over this afternoon?”

I turned to Jack as he turned to me. Our eyes locked and I turned away quickly to Abby. “I’m free.”

“Me too.”

“Great. I’ll see you guys this afternoon.”

As she walked to the trash, I looked over at Jack, who just smiled and pushed his leg closer to mine. It was going to be a long night.

“Truth or dare?”

I stared at Abby, her mother’s homemade cookies slowly rising back into my throat. “Dare.” Staying away from the truth category was crucial.

“Alright,” Abby leaned back against the couch and crossed her arms. “Kiss Jack.”

My eyes darted over to Jack, who looked up from the plate of cookies, which he had been devouring with his bottomless stomach, and smiled. “Come on, Lizzie, kiss me.”

“Let me just get a cup of water first.” I ran to the kitchen and pushed myself against the wall. I could do this. I couldn’t do this. Abby would know. Jack would be furious. I refilled the cup and headed back to the basement. “Sorry, guys, but I’m-”

I turned the corner to see Jack cradling Abby back and forth in his arms. He pushed his lips to her forehead and whispered his words of love. Abby’s eyes filled with terror as I stood there and she pushed away. She made it to her feet as I reached the door, the tears stinging my eyes. I was almost halfway down the street when a warm hand grabbed me by the wrist.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

Jack lowered his eyes, but kept his hand tightly around my wrist. “I love you, Lizzie.”

“I told you to get away.” The tears flowed endlessly down my cheeks only to be hidden by the dark night.

“And I told you I love you.” 

“Yeah, and you said the same thing to Abby.”

“She means-”

“Nothing to you?” I pulled my wrist away. “She’s my best friend, Jack. She means something to me and if you don’t understand that then get out of my life.”

“I didn't mean to hurt you.”

“Well, you’re hurting someone either way.” I started walking and, feeling his eyes on my back, I turned back around. “There were too many secrets with you, Jack. You never tell me anything except how much you love me. Yet, I’m required to even let you know how many hours I slept and what I dreamt about. And, to be completely honest, I hate it. I hate all the secrecy. And I hate you.”

His pace quickened as he reached for both my arms pulling me towards him with a strength I never knew him to have. His warm hands seared my skin and his eyes tore through the my soul.

“You hate me?” His voice low and shadowy. “You hate me, Lizzie Brown?”

“Let go,” I pleaded.

He hands dropped to my waist and dug his thumbs around my hips. I cried out in pain. The back of one hand smacked my tear-stained cheek.

“You hate me?!” His face seemed to glow red and dripped down with sweat. My trembling body was pressed close to his as his hands wrapped around my neck. “You hate me, Lizzie?”

“Stop!” I cried out, choking on my own tears. Escape seemed impossible at that moment. Everything was all wrong. This was not the man I had once loved. This was not the summer of love months earlier. This was a dark, October night. A night of heartbreak. A night of vengeance. The night I almost died.

It was a neighbor who saved me. Some average guy taking out his trash at some ridiculous hour of the night. There was no combat. No dashing knight in shining armor. Jack had simply heard the man’s squeaky front door open and sprinted down the street, being swallowed by the darkness. I collapsed in fatigue against the sidewalk waiting for my heartbeat to settle in my chest. But it wouldn’t. I felt the heat of his hands on my arms, my hips, my neck. I felt his sweat on my skin. The smell of his deodorant in my nose. The fear he’d be back in only a matter of seconds.

So I watched the man with his garbage, hoping that he’d see me there, hoping he’d stay a little while longer. But he didn’t. He wheeled his trash barrel to the front of his driveway and then walked back inside. I was left alone in the darkness swallowing down my tears.

Well, at least for some time. Abby, cloaked in her wool quilt, eventually came out to the front steps and sat, thinking of course. Her eyes scanned the street until they met mine.

“Lizzie?”

I trembled, searching the dark world around me for Jack.

“Isn’t it cold over there?”

I made it to my feet and weakly trudged to the wooden steps, shivering each step of the way. Abby wrapped the blanket around my shoulders, no doubt seeing the red marks created by Jack’s hands. But she remained silent. I did too.

“Lizzie, I’m...I’m sorry.”

I nodded, still stiffly staring at the street.

“Lizzie?” She placed her hand on my knee making me flinch backwards. “Sorry. I...I understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.”

It was then that I broke down. The tears flooded my vision and burned my throat. I pushed my face against Abby’s shoulder and cried harder. Everything was wrong.

“It’s alright, Lizzie. Everything’s alright.”

“NO!” I yelled into the night. “EVERYTHING IS NOT ALRIGHT!”

“Lizzie,” she cooed, rubbing my back only to see me wince in pain once more. “Lizzie, what did he do to you?”

I cried harder, and harder, until my eyes dried and closed. Everything was not alright. Everything was wrong.

I never quite saw Jack again. Some people said that he had left the country after that night. Others said that his Dad’s work was relocated. Many hoped that he was in jail. A few wanted him dead. All I wanted was to return to a normal life, but that was deemed impossible.

The rumors had spread before either Abby or I arrived at school the next morning. Before I had even removed my jacket, there were kids handing me flowers and cards. In fact a few asked to see the marks, Abby had given them a mark or two instead. The teachers looked down at me with pity, giving sympathetic As and excused projects. The cafeteria ladies put a little extra mush onto my tray during the lunches. Even the principal had a conference with me deeming that school safety was their number one priority. And, as gracious as it was for a small town community that never knew I even existed, it was all too much.

I wanted to be Lizzie Brown. Just Lizzie Brown. The ordinary teenage girl that sat near the back of the room with a solid B average. The one that wasn't good at sports or academics. The girl that lived her high school life in the shadows of everyone else’s greatness. That’s where I was best- offstage not front and center.

Abby wasn’t getting all the same sympathy. She was slighted by the boys who deemed her a sl*t. She was cursed by the girls and banished from everything she loved- soccer, basketball, softball, yearbook, drama- for being far too unloyal and dishonest. I felt bad for her each and every day. She wanted to be the spotlight and here I was taking it from her because we had happened to both unconsciously date the same guy. My pitiful eyes were the only ones she ever got.

“Abby, I’m sorry this is how it turned out for you,” I had apologized during our Christmas break, about two months after the incident.

“Don’t worry about it.” She was shooting hoops in the snow, missing each shot. The ball bounced into the street as she turned to look at me. “I’d rather be exiled from high school than not have a best friend.”

“We’re still friends?”

“Until the end of time, Lizzie.”

I smiled and ran across the street to get her the ball. The bitter night was triggered as I stood in that spot once more. My eyes began to water and my heart began to pound. Abby wrapped her arm around my shoulder and smiled softly.

“It’ll be alright, Liz. He’s long gone now.”

I nodded and took a shot, which ricocheted off the rim smashing the trash cans over. The ball bounced back to my hands. A sharp pain ran through my side. Jack would be back.

“Lizzie, gotta be honest, this is the absolute worst chocolate pie I’ve ever tasted.” Nick laughed poking at the piece of pie I had placed in front of him. We had been together for two years and this was the first time I’d ever baked anything for him. Usually I left that for him, after all he was an ‘expert’ in culinary.

“Shut up and eat it,” I laughed, spraying extra whipped cream on my piece.

“Not fair, you’re eating yours with toppings.”

I sprayed it onto his nose. He grabbed me by the wrists and put his face against mine, smothering the cream onto my own nose. Still holding the can, I sprayed more onto his face. Nick licked most of it before pushing his lips to mine and falling back onto our couch in the dorm. We stayed like that for a while, laughing and kissing, before the buzzer rang.

The tension rose in my back as I stared at the door. Nick must’ve noticed because he too sat up and squeezed me in his arms.

“If you want to clean up, I’ll get it.”

It buzzed again.

“No, I’ll get it, Nick.”

He smiled and wiped my face with his thumb. “I’ll always protect you, Lizzie. Doesn’t matter to me what comes through that door. I’m here.”

I gave him a quick kiss before I straightened out my shirt and hair. My hand lingered over the knob for what seemed like eternity before finally twisting it open.

“Oh good. I got the right suite.”

I didn’t talk, didn’t move, didn’t even breathe. I couldn't. Jack’s jade eyes were staring right into mine. I studied him. Same hair. Same eyes. Same body. All composed. I was looking at the man I had fallen for four years ago.

“Well you gonna let your old lover in?”

Nick’s hand rested against my back. A light hand. Gentle. “I’m sorry, we’re in the middle of something. Can you come back later?”

“Oh...I got the lovebird suite.”

“Dorm,” Nick corrected, his voice much sharper and sophisticated.

Jack laughed and pushed his way into the room. “So...after all these years, you found happiness, Lizzie?”

“I...I did. And I love him very much.” I tucked my body underneath Nick’s strong arm, but so far Jack wasn’t making any threat.

“Happy for you.” Jack sat down at the table and cut himself a slice of pie, not caring that the crust was charred. “He take good care of you?”

“Always.”

“What’s your name, sir?”

Nick looked down at me, carefully watching my eyes. “I’m Nick.”

“Jack.” He swallowed down a small bite. “You come from a good family, Nick?”

“I like to think so. We own the restaurant down on Main.”

He nodded. I still traced his body. Jack was hiding something. Then again, he always was. “Love that place. Had breakfast there this morning. How long have you two been together?”

“Two years, Jack,” I said, feeling his hands around my neck once more. Nick must’ve felt it too. He lightly moved his hand to my waist and smiled weakly.

Jack followed his hand and waved us off. “Don’t let me stop anything. Just here to visit an old friend and, you know, feed my hunger.”

I wiped some cream from the side of Nick’s face. “Enough about me. How you’ve been, Jack?”

“Not too shabby. Living like the rest of you people- one paycheck to the next.”

“Where you work?”

“Really anywhere.”

I looked over at Nick again, feeling something rise in my chest. He only turned back to Jack. “Have you found your happiness yet?”

Jack rose, wiping his mouth with the corner of his sleeve. “I have.”

“Who is she?”

“Ah...her name is R. Evenge. A sweet thing, really. We’ve traveled around this country, her and I.” He glanced over at me. “Never lets me down, Lizzie. Never.”

“How long have you known this R. Evenge?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Well, since that night when I realized that my hunger cannot be satisfied.” He pushed in the chair and carried his plate to the sink, which was already filled with charred pans from earlier in the week. “You see, Lizzie, after my hands were on your neck, I realized that there is something I loved more than you.” He stepped closer to us. “I love seeing that look right there.”

Nick’s hand pushed me closer to his side as Jack stepped closer.

“I love making people fear me. I love watching the pain in their faces. These hands, Lizzie, these hands aren’t for protecting you, they never were. These hands are for killing.”

I felt my heart start pounding beneath my skin.

“And I’m good at it too. So by the time the campus wakes up tomorrow, I’ll be on a Class A flight to Tahiti and the both of you will be there on the floor. Perhaps too much fun isn’t all that great.”

I shook my head. “Jack, think about what you’re doing.”

“I did the entire cab ride here. All those people before you were trials. No one’s caught me yet for them. No one will catch me if I kill you.”

I swallowed hard and pressed my body against Nick. He was back.

“Come on, Lizzie, get over to the closet.”

I shook my head. “No, Jack. You won’t do this to me again.”

“Again?” He laughed. “I never killed you the first time, honey.”

Nick was already in the closet. He was bound in rags in the back corner. He wasn’t going to protect me any time soon.

“I’m not going, Jack!”

“Fine,” he smiled and stepped closer to me, tugging at my shirt. “We’ll do it here. Take this off.”

I refused and stepped backwards, feeling the couch hit against my thighs. He stepped closer and I stumbled backwards, landing with my back against the cushions. Jack hovered over me, a grin spreading across his face.

“Great. Stay just like that.”

As he leaned forward I pushed my feet into his face, screaming my absolute loudest. Jack retreated, holding his bleeding nose.

“You still hate me after all those years, Lizzie?”

“You...you’re a MONSTER!” I choked back tears of hysteria. “You never loved me. You never loved Abby. All you love is yourself!”

“And this.” He reached out and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, pulling me upwards with an inhuman force. His foul breath crept up my nose and his sweat drenched skin dripping onto my own. “I should have killed you four years ago, Lizzie. Maybe then I could’ve lived a normal life.”

“WHAT PART OF ANY OF THIS IS NORMAL?” I spat into his face, which only angered him more.

“You’re not the weak girl I left.”

“You’ve only made me stronger, Jack.” I kicked over one of the candles on the coffee table and closed my eyes. “And you’ve only made me this more wary of people.”

Two police officers barged through the door. Jack froze and dropped me against the plush cushions. Forcing a smile, he tried to walk between them. The officers grabbed one arm each and dragged him from the dorm room screaming his innocence.

I stayed back on the couch, hyperventilating, as another officer, much younger walked in. I waved him to the closet and he pulled out a sputtering, red-faced Nick, who instantly ran over to the couch.

“Lizzie, are you alright?”

I rolled over into his arms, resting my head against the beating heart in his chest, and smiled. “By the way, I meant to tell you that this place is secured by the police through video cameras.”

His face dropped and then turned even redder. “Does that mean that they saw-”

“Yeah,” the young officer confirmed as he walked past. “We see everything, except the bathroom. We turn that one off except when the signal is knocked over.”

“Signal?”

I put the candle back onto the coffee table and met Nick’s lips. “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll protect you and your privacy.”

He smiled and met my lips again. “I heard the bathroom is the new dining room.”

I laughed and rested my head against his shoulder. “I really love you, Nick.” I stared at the door as the officer left shaking his head. I had Nick. Jack was gone. And that was alright.