Later that evening Ashley was looking forward to seeing Maddox but she was nervous that she would somehow give away what had happened with him earlier that day.

Maddox had told her there was a party he wanted to go to and was on his way to pick her up for it.

Nervously, she wait soothing her hands over her hair trying to stop herself from feeling so anxious for him to arrive. He had turned her into some giddy girl she didn't recognise and she wasn't sure how that made her feel.

When she heard him pull up in front of her house she headed out the door. He opened the passenger door as she approached.

"Hi," he said, kissing her briefly.

"Hi," she replied, still feeling his lingering kiss and feeling like her heart was going to burst from her chest.

She had gone from feeling numb to feeling so much with Maddox, at times it scared her how much he meant to her. And that also made her more fearful of having to let go of him when he needed to leave. She pushed the unwanted thought from her mind.

They were on their way to a party. It was the first time they would be going out as an official couple and Ashley was still nervous about it.

When they arrived it felt like all eyes where on them. Maddox intertwined his hand with hers and led her into the house party. It was loud and packed.

Maddox led her to the kitchen. He got her a drink. It was a plastic cup which tasted like beer. Then they headed out of the kitchen to the backyard.

There were people in groups talking. Maddox scanned the area and then headed for a small group seated on the grass. Even in the evening outline she could make out Jasper and a couple of other people.

It was only when they got closer she saw Rob seated with the group as well. She didn't know him as well as she did Jasper.

They joined the group. Maddox sat down beside her.

There was someone seated between Jasper and Ross. She looked familiar. It was the same girl she had met at the first party who had been with Jasper but she couldn't remember her name.

She sipped her drink and Jasper nodded in her direction. "Hi," she greeted. She wasn't used to being around Maddox and his friend in a social setting which made her feel nervous and out of place.

The girl beside Jasper greeted her by lifting her cup in her direction.

Ross also greeted her with a nod.

Diane and Sally were also supposed to be coming to the party. She got her phone out and texted Diane while Maddox talked to Jasper.

"Is he here?"

Jasper nodded.

"We'll keep an eye on him," Ross added.

Ashley frowned slight as she finished texting her friend. "Who are you keeping an eye on?"

Maddox and Jasper shared a look.

"What?" she said.

Maddox shrugged. "I may have to teach Jim another lesson."

Oh crap. Jim. She reached for his arm with her hand. "Why?" Her voice came out more high pitched than she had meant. She cleared her throat. "Why do you think that?"

Had he already started causing trouble? She hadn't breathed a word of what Jim had said to her at the diner to Maddox. Had he started spreading rumours again? It was the last thing she needed again but if it kept Maddox from getting into trouble it was worth it.

"I just have a feeling. The guy is an asshole." Maddox drank some of his beer.

Her hand tightened on his arm and his eyes met hers. "Don't worry, I'll deal with him if he does anything."

She nodded slowly and released his arm. He shifted nearer and put his arm around her.

While the small group talked Ashley zoned out trying to figure out if there was any way for her to stop what Jim was trying to ensure would unfold. At that exact moment her phone began to ring.

Maddox dropped his arm from her shoulders as she stood and walked away from the group to answer her phone.

"Hey," Diane said, she could hear the party blaring in the background.

"Where are you?" she asked, quickly.

"We're out front."

"Stay there. I'm headed that way." She ended the call as she walked to Maddox.

"I'm meeting Diane and Sally in the front. I'll be back soon."

He nodded and he took her drink.

She hurried to the kitchen and pushed her way through the house. The party had gotten busier but just when she reached the front door someone held her back. Annoyed she tried to pull away but an arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off her feet. Pulling her to a dark corner under the stairs .

"Look what I found." The voice that fanned her throat made her skin crawl.

Immediately she tried to struggle so Jim would let go. If Maddox saw this he would explode.

She got free and turned to push Jim away from her with both of her hands pressed against his chest. "Stop it." She hissed.

He took a step back but he cocked his head to the side and slid his eyes down the length of her body. It was like he was undressing her with his eyes and it made her want to physically lash out at him. But she reminded her that he was trying to make trouble for Maddox and if she gave into the urge to follow through on the action he would get exactly what he wanted. And she couldn't let that happen, no matter what he did.

"I wonder if he has gotten a taste of you yet."

"Stop it Jim. Just stop it. I know what you're trying to do."

He gave a one arm shrug. "What would you give me to stop?"

His hand lifted to her chest and his finger trailed down suggestively to the neckline of her shirt. It took her a few moments to grasp what he was aiming at.

She swatted his hand away from her. "Never. I'd rather eat glass."

"Aw come on Ash," he said. "I'd be doing you a favour."

She stared at him, incredulous. "A favor?"

"You are never going to amount to anything. At best you'll be knocked up in the next year, like your mom, and then what? You'd be lucky if the guy stays and you'll hate every moment of it. You will always be the girl working pay cheque to pay cheque trying to make ends meet."

"You don't know me," she argued. "Or my family."

His words hit close to home, to the part of her that didn't want to be anything like her parents. She wanted a different life.

"I see your future and let me tell you something. It's pretty pathetic." He nodded, like he was reading her future in the crystal ball.

She glared at him. "You don't know anything," she tried to argue.

"You think Maddox is going to stick around here once he graduates. If you believe that you are naive and stupid."

She swallowed hard. He was right and she knew that whatever she had with Maddox was never going to last.

He seemed to see the chink in her composure and went in for the kill. "Whatever you think you have with him it won't be enough to keep him."

He studied her for a moment. "At least with me you know what it is."

He sounded a little drunk. He moved closer and before she could even react he put his arms around her bringing her up against him. His mouth covered hers and she tried to get loose but his arms were like steel.

She moved her to the side and tried to knee him but he manoeuvred her up against the wall. He shoved his hand up her top. Her instinct was to scream but she didn't. Instead she continued to struggle against him but no matter what she did she couldn't get free. He kissed her bruising her mouth and she bit him.

"Ahh." He shoved her away from him. The momentum sent her against the wall and she knocked her head.

Her hand went to her head and she winced, her fingers lightly touching the sensitive area.

"You're a real bitch Ashley," Jim sneered. There was blood on his lip and his tongue darted against the small cut.

They were starting to attract attention so instead of yelling at him she glared at him before she stalked off, just relieved to be out of the situation and knowing she had been lucky it hadn't escalated. Her heart hammered in her chest. His unwanted touch still lingered on her body, some parts feeling bruised and sore.