.

"Where is this party?" I look to Morgan who has a face filled with tears.

"I- I don't know, I never go to them..." she shakes her head frantically. "Probably by the lake somewhere? Or someone's cabin? Could be on a farm... I think that's where it was last year..."

"Get on your phone and figure it out."

I pull out my own and begin dialing Courtney. I need to find her. If he touches one hair on her head I will kill him with my bare hands and make what I did to Jimmy look pleasant.

"Jax maybe you should just leave her alone..."

I stare angrily at the brown eyed girl in front of me. "Like you did?!"

She looks down at the ground, knowing exactly what I mean. She abandoned her best friend when she needed her friends the most. This girl was hands down the biggest mistake I've made yet and all I did was kiss her. She grabs her purse from the counter and practically runs out the door.

Great, now I have to find the fucking party on my own.

"What Jax?" Courtney finally answers on my fourth attempt.

"Where is then senior party being held tonight?"

I walk out the door and begin walking to Main Street. I need to get to Mickey's early so I can leave early and make it to the party. I can't be fired from a job, I get written up for it.

"How the hell should I know? I don't go to them..." she argues.

"Gabby just called Tyler and said she wanted to go with him and Kane... I need to know."

She gets quiet on the other end before screaming at me. "Jax why would she do that?!"

"Because she saw me with Morgan and she's pissed. I need to know, can you find out? I have to work..."

"Jax you fucking idiot."

"Court I don't have time for this right now. Can you figure it out? I don't want her near him at a party if she's drinking."

Again she gets quiet. "Jax you can't let her drink... she started Xanax for her crying and she's taking a lot of it..."

Fuck.

<><><>

My stomach twists as I watch the grease stained clock above the grill. Mickey's is busy tonight. I still have an hour before I'm lucky enough to leave. No one knows where the party is. I'm figuring it's somewhere on the lake, but it's huge. I wouldn't even know where to start looking.

I attempt to phone Gabby multiple times during my shift, at first they are all sent to voicemail and eventually it won't even allow me to call her. In a typical teenage girl move, she blocked my number.

"You okay Parker? You're white as a ghost" Mickey chuckles as he holds open the door for me so I can use both hands on my bin of dirty dishes.

I am anything but okay.

"No. Gabby went to some senior party tonight with Kane and Tyler is going to be there. I don't want her drinking around him. I can't figure out where the party is or what time it started..."

The more I say the words out loud the more panicked I become, I can't even hide how hard my chest is rising and falling. I turn to Mickey and see a look of panic on his face as well. A panicked dad.

"I'll call Lily. She better not be there, she was going to a friend's place tonight..."

"Thank you" I sigh with a little bit of hope in my voice.

I begin rinsing dishes and putting them into the dishwasher. I have to find her. I will never forgive myself if something happens to her tonight.

"Party at the lake. Some spot that has an old dock. Lily says it's not easy to get to, it has an old road. We aren't from here so I'm not very familiar..."

"No Mickey I know exactly where that is..." I give a nod with a smile.

"You can go Parker, I expect an extra shift next week."

"Deal!" I pat him on the back. "Thanks Mickey!"

I tear my apron off and begin running down Main Street towards the old dock near my home, the one where I read to find some peace.

I just hope I'm not too late.

<><><>

The road to the dock is narrow, barely allowing my vehicle through. There's no light out here, just the dim light of my headlights. I only get halfway down it before I can hear the party, it's loud. Obviously Dan is not in town tonight and they knew that. I spot the clearing and park the car. I don't want to get stuck here by having people pull behind me so I stay as far to the right of the road as I can, this way I don't have to get out close to any raspberry bushes. A trip to the hospital tonight is not in my to-do list and I didn't have time to stop in the house to grab an EpiPen.

I peer into the clearing and spot about fifty people drinking around cars, blasting music, swimming in the lake. When I was their age I would have been right out here with them. Now all I see is a much of irresponsible kids whose parents have no clue that their children are in danger.

My eyes scan the open area for any sign Gabby. So far, there is not one person here I recognize. Random people fall into me, unable to control their legs with the large sums of alcohol they have already consumed tonight. This makes my worry for her increase exponentially; The party has obviously been going for awhile if these kids are already this shit-faced.

Whoever planned this went all out. Kegs line the divide between the open dirt and the woods behind. There are tables with assorted chips, candy and other baked goodies which I'm sure would make you higher than a kite in a hurricane. Tiki torches line the entire perimeter of the clearing acting as a light source and mosquito control. They also have started a large bonfire, which is placed dangerously close to the line of kegs. Dumbasses. The music is so loud you feel as though the bass has become your own pulse.

I continue to push my way though people, receiving glares from guys who don't know me and second glances from their girlfriends. Tonight I have no interest, there is only one girl I am leaving this party with.

"Thug, I don't recall you going to Luxberg High..." I hear Tyler's arrogant boyish voice behind me.

Do not murder him yet. "This isn't your fight."

"Where is she?" I ask through gritted teeth as I turn and spot the brown haired boy. My hands are already forming fists just from the grin he is throwing my way.

"Relax, she's having fun. I don't know what you did to piss her off so much that she'd hang out with me, but I applaud you. You brought out the party animal in Gabrielle Brooks..."

I scan the crowd again. Even more people have arrived, making it nearly impossible to see past the people beside you. The area is big, but not big enough for a party like this.

"Is she drinking?" I stand on the tips of my toes and look towards the bar they set up in the back of a van.

"She sure is" he laughs and walks alway from me. "Enjoy the party Thug."

I begin pushing my way through people, looking for anyone who looks familiar. I pull out my phone and dial Dan's number, pressing the phone firmly to my ear as I continue scanning. He needs to put an end to this party, it's getting out of control. Some of these kids don't even look old enough to be in high school and the fire is too close to the kegs. The call rings a few times but eventually goes to voicemail. I attempt two more times with the same results before I give up.

Of all the fucking nights not to answer...

"Jesus Gabby I'm going to have to drag you home, dad's going to lose it. How many did you have?"

The sound of her name makes my head snap up and heartbeat quicken it's pace. I listen close and hear Felix laughing somewhere behind me.

I swing around and see her stumbling and giggling. "Five!" She holds up three fingers and stumbles into Kane. He wraps his hands on her hips, laughing while attempting to keep her on her feet. He slides his hands up her sides, causing her shirt to ride up a little, his hands find their resting place on her bare skin. She's too focused on not landing on her face to notice.

Seeing his hands on her makes me want to break him in half.

"Books!" I yell out to her. "Time to go...!"

Her eyes form large surprised circles at the sight of me and meet my own. All I see in them is pure rage. All the lust they once held for me has diminished. This is the look of a girl that is purely disgusted by the sight of me. No love, only hate is radiating from her.

"Who the fuck invited Alfie?"

Her nickname for me suddenly stings like a razor blade. I stand still and watch her drunken reaction to me unfold. She's worse than I thought. If she really did have five drinks already, and she's on Xanax, we are in for a rough night.

"Gabby what all have you drank tonight?"

She frees herself from Kane's grasp by wiggling her hips and stumbles forward, wrapping her arm loosely around my shoulder to maintain balance. "Has everyone met Jax, here?" She points with her other hand but maintaining her drink firmly in it. Felix, Kane and a few other people make shifty eyes towards my direction.

"We've met Gabby, let's get you home." I place an arm around her in an attempt to steady her. The lean she has into me is telling me she won't be standing much longer.

"I'm staying actually" she smiles. "You're still an asshole Jackson Alphonse Parker!"

That I am.

"Dude just go. I don't know why she's so pissed at you, but you shouldn't be here." Her brother takes her hands and leads her back to their little pack of misbehaving children.

I point to her. "She shouldn't be here. What the hell were you guys thinking? She's on antidepressants... she can't drink on those... one drink is like four..."

Felix turns to his sister with pure shock on his face. Obviously he wasn't aware of just how bad she's been lately. "Gabs when did you start those?"

Gabby stumbles backwards, plopping her ass to the dirty ground with a thud. She begins a mixture of giggling and crying. She looks up to me angrily. "When I was humped and dumped by him, right Alfie?"

"Gabby..." I can't do anything but frown down at her. I knew I hurt her, but not this bad. I figured the anxiety was because of the rape, not me.

"He what?" Felix's eyes lift back to me.

Great... now I have the over protective older brother wanting to murder me for banging his little sister.

"Yep. This guy here," she points up to me and takes another sip of god knows what form of alcohol. "He held me while I cried as I realized I had been raped by Tyler Porter. Shit, he figured it out before I did."

She begins awkwardly giggling again as Felix's eyes fly to Kane. Kane stares down at her, shaking his head with anger at the accusations towards his brother. His tongue runs over his upper teeth in an attempt to hold back whatever it is he wants to say in response to her. I'd imagine he's reserving it for a time when her protective brother is not present.

"And then he was the only boy in town who believed me and didn't look at me like I was a freak. We became best friends and talked every night for at least four hours without dad even knowing. So naturally I fell in love with the idiot..."

I feel that Morgan-induced knot return to my throat as I watch her break down. I knew she loved me before she even mentioned it today.

"Falling in love is not part of Jax's game. Four times is his limit. So I was humped and dumped then kicked to the curb!"

Gabby continues to giggle but she is blatantly crying and upset. I stand there with my hand over my mouth. I don't even know how to stop her mouth from running.

"Although technically I was only humped twice, you should find a new name for your game Jax..."

Jesus she's going to tell her entire sex life to everyone in her class...

She takes a sip of her drink. "Oh and here is the hilarious part! Tyler chased me home again, scaring the shit out of me, was locked out of my house again, so I ran to this guys house! Where I found him making out with my ex best friend Morgan! TOO FUCKING FUNNY!" She shrugs her shoulders and keeps drinking from the red plastic cup in her hand.

"Where is Tyler?" Felix demands through gritted teeth as he glares at Kane.

"He didn't rape her Felix. She was drunk. Just like she is now." Kane's eyes roll.

Now the anger in me is growing as I listen to someone who should be her friend not even listen to her.

"She had one drink and passed out! That is not normal! Cherry schnapps? Seriously?" I'm yelling until my face is red. It's taking everything in me use my words and not my fists right now, but they are white-knuckled and ready if needed. "She just told you she's had five and she's awake... that's combined with antidepressants!"

I hold out my hands her. "Come on Gabby, get up. I'm taking you home."

She smacks my hands away forcefully and spills her drink down the front of her. The smell of cheap tequila fills my nostrils.

Well that answered that question.

"You aren't my boyfriend Jax! Why do you care!? Go fuck Morgan, I'm not your problem."

People begin to stop and watch her as she screams at me. The heat in my face causes it to go pink all the way to the tips of my ears.

"I'll let her know you have a thing for the jail cell, maybe dad will let you borrow it again..."

"Gabby!" I grab her hands, yanking them forcefully so that she looks me in the eye as I speak. "Enough. Stop doing this to yourself. People are listening and it's not me you're hurting."

She stops to look around at everyone watching her. Her shoulders begin to shake as her crying resumes. This is exactly what she didn't want, all eyes on her. Felix just stares at her and back up to me.

"I'm taking her with me, Felix. Your dad is going to lose his mind if he sees her like this. Tell him she's spending the night with Courtney."

Felix continues looking confused. Poor kid just got an earful.

"Hell no! I'm not going anywhere with you!" Gabby yells at me, attempting to pull her wrists away from me.

I tighten my grasp on her.

"Books, you are drunk." I tug her hands so that she looks into my eyes again. Focusing is coming hard for her at the moment. "Do you want your dad to find you like this? Do you want to get black out drunk? Do you trust the people taking you home when you aren't awake or do you trust me?"

She watches me for a moment, taking in my words.

"Do you trust me Gabby?"

Her blood shot eyes look into mine and she gestures her head with a yes.

"Okay" I frown at her and let go of her wrists.

She attempts to stand up on her own but fails, falling back to the ground with a plop, causing her to grimace in pain. Her shorts and legs are covered in mud and her shirt is drenched in tequila. Kane and Felix just stand there watching her make a fool of herself in front of everyone.

"You guys are dicks" I shake my head at them. "Her brother and one of her best friends. These kids aren't even your friends, they are hers. This is her class party, her life. Letting her get black out drunk like this after what she's been through... is fucking ridiculous. Go live out your high school glory days somewhere else and leave her out of it."

Kane walks away from me laughing while Felix looks at his baby sister.

I lean down and pick her up from the ground. She wraps her arm around my shoulder without speaking a word.

"I can take her..." Felix hesitates with a shaking head. "I- I didn't know about Tyler..."

"You're drunk. I'll get her sobered up and send her home in the morning. She's safe with me, I promise." I give him an assuring nod.

I feel Gabby's body go limp in my arms and I know she's passed out. I sigh and look down to her. Her arms and legs dangle from my hold on her.

"Shit Gabby..." I sigh.

"She hates you right now, you screwed her and dumped her? I don't think I should let you take her..." His eyes move frantically as he tries comprehend everything happening and attempting to form any type of sober conclusion. "My dad is going to fucking flip when he hears that. You're lucky I'm not kicking your ass right now..."

"Your dad isn't stupid, he knew she was seeing me and he knows I ended it. I'm sober and obviously the only one looking out for her tonight. You go right ahead and tell him you took your underage sister to a party at the lake, got her drunk while she's on meds for anxiety. Tell her she passed out near Tyler Porter again and see how he reacts. I'm the least of her problems right now."

Felix swallows hard and looks back to Gabby, nodding his head. I walk away with her as everyone stands and watches.

"Books" I mutter to the sleeping girl. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

This girl is going to be the death of me.