Malia

I step into Jasper's car, tossing my bag to the floor. He's quick to come around and get in. He looks over at me as he is closing the door. I notice the lipstick on his neck.

The door slams and he immediately reaches up and turns on the overhead light.

Jasper studies me, a frown marring his beautiful face. He leans over, reaching up to touch my neck. I suck in a breath, eyes wide as I watch him. His fingers trace over where mom's conquest choked me.

Shit. Did I not cover it well enough?

"Malia, why are there purple marks on your neck?"

Jasper rubs at them, frowning even more.

I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.

I watch in horror as he licks his finger and rubs my neck again. His frown is quickly replaced with anger as his eyes flash up to mine. His normally blue eyes are almost black, and fury is radiating off his features.

"Who the fuck did this to you and why did you try to cover it up?"

I don't say a word. What am I supposed to say anyways?

"Tell me right now or so help me God I'll tear down your front door." Jasper means business.

"It's fine. One of mom's dates got a little rough."

Jasper clenches and unclenches his fist several times.

"How often does this happen?" He spits out, enunciating every single word. His lips are pressed into a hard line and I can tell he's trying hard to reign in his temper.

"Rarely ever. It's okay Jasper. I just don't want to go back tonight. Please take me to your house. I don't want to sit here and do this with you. You have a date to get back to." I can hear the plea in my voice. I feel weak. I don't like feeling weak.

"I broke up with her. Give me a good reason not to go over there and kill him right now." Jasper's knuckles are white from gripping the steering wheel.

"It doesn't look like you broke up." I say, pointing to his neck.

Jasper glances in the rear view mirror, cursing loudly and turning his gaze back to me.

"Give me one good reason Malia. If you don't, I'm going to kill him. I want to kill him for touching you. I want to punch his stupid face in just like I did that other idiot who touched you. No one can ever touch you like that. Damn it you're mine." Jasper realizes the words as they leave his lips, but he doesn't try to backtrack.

"So you can kiss and touch other people, but I can't?" I ask incredulously.

"Stop changing the subject." Jasper yells, startling me. I cringe back into my seat.

"Juilliard." I say, knowing that it's the only reason that will stop him.

Jasper turns towards me, eyes softer now and reaches out for my hand. I let him take it because I am weak. I'm in love with him.

"Cami threatened me. She said she was going to tell the cops I raped her if I didn't sleep with her." Jasper looks pained, and I know he is telling the truth.

"You... you..." I can't even get the words out. Tears flow down my cheeks as I think of exactly what this means.

"I didn't sleep with her. I didn't want to. But I let her kiss me, and I kissed her back. I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't because there's only one girl I want to kiss and it's not Cami."

Damn it you're mine.

His words echo in my mind over and over again like a broken record.

"Then kiss her." I say.

Jasper grasps my face into his hands, pulling me to him and his lips meet mine. I swear I can hear fireworks exploding around us. I'm lost in him. So lost I forget about what just happened to me. I forget about the fact that he'd just been kissing another girl. I forget about the lipstick on his neck. It's just me and Jasper. Nothing else matters.

Jasper pulls away, leaning his forehead against mine.

"I'm trying to stay away out of respect for Blair, but I can't. It's inevitable Malia. You and me." His breath smells of mint, and I'm thankful I can't smell her on him.

"Do I get a say in this at all?" I ask.

"Of course you do."

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes and lifting my hand to run down his cheek.

"We can't do this Jasper." I say, knowing that no matter how much I love him, it isn't worth losing Blair.

"It may not mean anything to you Malia, but I promise you, before it's over, it will."

I open my eyes. Jasper is staring at me. I know he means every single word.

Did that kiss change everything?

"Who said it didn't?" I ask.

"I heard you. Today in Blair's room. You said it meant nothing."

Shit. Shit. Shit. What else did he hear?

"I was just doing as you asked. You didn't want me to tell." I say.

Jasper presses his lips to mine again, knotting his fingers in my hair.

"I could kiss you all day and all night." He whispers.

I could melt in your arms.

"Can we go now?" I ask, ready to get the fuck out of here before mom's boy toy wakes up from his knock out and comes looking for me.

Jasper cranks the car and turns towards the road.

"Will you sneak into my room later?" He asks.

"I don't know if that's a good idea Jas."

Sneaking around behind Blair's back wouldn't make me a good friend. On the other hand, this is everything I've ever wanted.

Maybe I can reason with her.

It doesn't take long to make it back to his house. I immediately go up to Blair's room, and Jasper follows.

"I need to do this alone." I say, touching his face gently and stepping up on my tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you for saving me."

"Please come into my room later. I'll be waiting for you."

I turn around without answering, still not sure what I'm going to do. I open the door to Blair's room and she looks up, smiling at me.

"You came back." She says, jumping up and throwing her arms around me. "I'm so sorry."

I hug her back and struggle to keep the tears at bay.

"We need to talk. I need to tell you something. I didn't think I could, but Jasper assured me that you would understand."

Blair steps back, her face a mask for whatever it is she's feeling. She runs a hand through her hair and sits down on the edge of her bed.

"Why does Jasper know and I don't?" She asks calmly. I can tell it's taking everything inside her not to get angry.

"Because Jasper has been to my house. Because Jasper is who I called tonight when everything went wrong." I say, taking a step towards her and sitting beside her on the bed.

Blair says nothing, she just stares at me, waiting for me to go on.

"My mom-" I say, choking on my words. "My mom is a drunk. She would rather drink all day than take care of me. It's why I won't ever let you come over. I spend most days cleaning up her puke and putting her to bed. I didn't want you to see that. I thought you would think less of me."

Blair reaches out and takes my hand, offering me comfort so I can continue.

"Her boyfriends-" The tears start to fall as I take a deep breath, "they get angry with her, and they take it out on me."

Blair notices the purple marks on my throat and a hand comes up to cover her mouth.

I touch my throat, instinctively trying to hide it. Her other hand lets go of mine and traces the bruise.

"Did they- did he do this to you?" She asks, staring at the marks.

"Yes. He tried to touch me so I kicked him." The tears are flowing like a faucet, pouring down my face as I remember in vivid detail everything that happened tonight.

"Oh Malia." She says, pulling me into a hug.

"I tried to get away, but he pinned me to the bed. He kept choking me over and over again. I was begging him to stop."

Blair holds me tighter, shushing me and wiping my tears.

"You don't have to tell me." She says quietly. "It's okay. I understand. More than you know I understand."

I let her hold me for a while, letting the information sink in before I drop something else on her. It's quiet between us as she strokes my hair and I slowly calm down.

After several minutes, I'm able to go on.

"Jas and I-" I start, "we've gotten pretty close over the last two months and I'm not asking you to understand, I'm just asking you to listen."

Blair pulls back, searching my face.

"Something happened today in that room didn't it?" She asks, her face a stone wall of nothingness.

I nod.

"Please don't do this Malia." She begs. I can hear the fear in her voice.

"He's my friend B. I need him. I need him just as much as I need you, and I'm not asking for your blessing on this. I'm going to be his friend regardless of what you say. We've both tried to fight it because we love you and you don't want this, but I can't anymore. Please, I'm asking you to be okay with this. It changes nothing between us."

Blair stands and paces the room.

"Just friends?" She asks.

"All I want from him right now is a friendship." I say.

"Right now? Is this gonna change later?" She is desperately trying to be okay with this, and I applaud her effort. I really do. But this isn't up for negotiation.

"Nobody knows what the future holds B."

Blair balls her fists at her sides, then suddenly she sends one careening into the wall. I jump back, scared.

Jasper bursts through the door, eyes wild as he looks from me to her, and then to the hole in the wall.

"Do you love him?" She asks through gritted teeth.

I look at Jasper, who is now staring at me and waiting for an answer.

"It doesn't change anything Blair. You're my best friend. You're always gonna be my best friend." I plead with her, begging her to understand.

"Do you love him?" She asks again.

She looks like she's going to punch something again, and I can only hope that it isn't his beautiful face.

"I-" I can't answer this question, because I don't want to lie.

"I need to be alone right now." Blair says, walking to the door and holding it open for me to leave.

I walk to the door, turning to look at her in one last desperate attempt.

"Please try to understand." I say.

Blair refuses to even look at me as I walk out the door.