* Two years ago *
"Mary!" Jasey groaned as she watched the lacrosse ball soar over her head and onto the boy's practice field. "It's so far," she whined, her lips in a pout.

Her friend laughed, taking advantage of the the brief break to pull her red hair into a tight ponytail. "Come on, Jase, you got it. You're a mid. You run more than the cross country team."

With a sigh, Jasey started to jog lightly over to where the ball had landed. "If you weren't my co-captain I'd make you do this!" Jasey teased, back pedaling for a bit. Her friend laughed and passed for a while with the pair right next to them, waiting for her to return. Jasey was just about to flip back around when she crashed into a solid figure with an "Oomph."

"Oh, sorry," she immediately apologized, spinning around to face whoever had been unlucky to experience the effects of her innate clumsiness. Her brown eyes widened as she realized who she had bumped into.

Lance.

Lance Reed.

As in the boy that had made the varsity team as a freshmen, Lance Reed. As in senior and captain of the lacrosse and water polo team, Lance Reed.

As in ridiculously fit and flawless, Lance Reed.

Jasey's shock took on a different meaning as the initial surprise wore off. The one time that he so much looks at her and here she was, dripping in sweat and dressed in work-out clothes.

Really, great first impressions.

"Sorry," Jasey mumbled, unable to meet his blue eyes without blushing terribly. She stooped down and picked the small ball from the damp grass. "My friend was a pretty strong throw."

He laughed, a sound that made her heart flutter. "I'd say." Lance's face grew thoughtful as he peered down at her. "Hey, you're Jasey, right?"

She froze. Holy crap.

He.

Knew.

Her.

Name.

"Uhm, yeah," she stammered, her awkwardness seeping into the conversation. She had never really been one to be shy around boys, but this effect that Lance had on her had her stuttering.

He seemed to be unfazed by her nervousness and shot her a wink. "We should hang out some time," he said. "You know, as captains."

"Uhm, right, sure." Jasey wondered what he needed with her, considering that she was only on the Junior Varsity team. Then again, who was she to deny herself the possibility of hanging out with someone as attractive as Lance? "Well, I should probably get back," she said, pointing back to Mary. Her friend had noticed the exchange and was bent down, pretending to tie her cleats as she watched the pair closely.

"Yeah, see you soon." He then walked away, clapping his hands to get his teammates' attention. "Come on guys," he bellowed. "Get into two lines! We're doing Indian runs!"

When Jasey finally got back to Mary, her friend was eager to learn what had happened. "What did he want?" she demanded.

She shrugged and tried to play it cool. Calmly, Jasey placed the ball she had retrieved into the net of her stick and tossed it over to her friend. "Oh, nothing," she said with a secret smile. As the boys ran past, Jasey couldn't help but look over, her smile widening when Lance looked her way and offered her a brief grin before sprinting to the front of the line.

Well, maybe Junior year wasn't going to be so bad after all.


* * * * *


Jasey looked grumpily at Nina. Her friend seemed to not exactly support the recent developments between Jasey and Lance. He had actually, followed through with his word and contacted her later to start to get to know each other. Just a few days ago, he had taken her out to lunch. It was not a date, of course, but with the way things were going, Nina was sure that the two wouldn't be just friends for ever. She voiced her opinions and was trying to warn her friend about what she had heard.

All that Jasey understood though, was that she was putting a damper on the mood of their sleepover.

"He's bad news," Nina insisted. "Everyone knows it."

"Like all the rumors are true," Addison, their other best friend, scoffed. She for one, was a bit thrilled at the fact that Jasey and Lance were getting closer. One reason being that Jasey could definitely hook her up with some of his (regrettably, not as hot) friends.

"These ones are," she defended.

"I don't know, Neens." Jasey thought over every thing that she had heard about Lance. "There's no way that it's all true."

Her eyes widened. "And how much better would it be exactly if just a few of them were true?"

There were too many rumors for her to count.

Lance had shown up at 3 am to school, burning a Nazi sign into the school lawn using pesticide and salt.

Lance had dated Emily and then slept with her best friend Jasmine.

Lance had parties that go way into the early hours of the morning, filled with booze, drugs, and Lord knows what else.

Lance had beat up George, the sweet boy on the track team, just for talking to his girlfriend Aimee - who, even though they had broken up a long time ago - he was still bed buddies with.

Lance had the reputation of being a world-class jerk to anyone that so much annoyed him in the slightest.

Sure, he was insanely attractive, but there's more to a boy than just looks. He was so different from Jasey that it was startling. Some people say, opposites attract, but Nina was sure that this match would only crash and burn.

"He's sweet to me," Jasey said with finality. "I like him. You don't have to be jealous."

Her friend's words took her by surprise. It wasn't like Jasey to ignore her advice in the first place and the snappy reply was just uncharacteristic of her friend. Just a week with Lance and she was already changing.

She hated to see what would happen if the did start dating.

Nina just prayed that they'd never have to find out.



Jasey felt like she was falling harder and harder for Lance by the second. he was just so charming and irresistible. She thought that there was absolutely nothing wrong with it at all. Sure, his language was a little coarse and sure, maybe he was into some things that were highly discouraged, but he was still amazingly sweet to her. His dazzling smile just sucked her in and kept her there.

Once they started dating (much to Nina's dismay), her friends began complaining about how he never allowed her to spend time with them. They were seeing each other less and less and even Addison was becoming uneasy about the whole thing. Jasey however, took their complaints as jealously, pushing them even further away. Besides, she had new friends.

And they sure knew how to party.

"Come on, baby girl!" Tiffany, the head cheerleader, grabbed Jasey's hand and dragged her to the dance floor, a red Dixie cup in hand. "Dance!"

Jasey laughed at her intoxicated friend's moves and wiggled her hips to the music. It was at one of these parties that she had learned that the rumors about drugs and alcohol were true. They didn't appeal to her in any way though - Lance had gotten her to try a sip of her beer and she spat it right out - so she abstained from taking part in any of that.

"Hey, babe."

A small smile crept on her face when she heard his deep voice over her shoulder. She gave him a brief glance before turning back around. "Lance," she said formally, teasing her boyfriend. Boyfriend. Just the thought gave her butterflies. It had been four months already that they had been together and Jsey was sure it was the best period of time in her sixteen years of living.

He smirked and forcefully grabbed her hips, pulling her flush against his body. "Miss me?" he muttered into her ear.

"Mmm, I managed."

Her boyfriend let out a chuckle and then flipped her around, his hands floating down to her backside as he mashed his lips on hers. Jasey recoiled when she tasted the strong tang of alcohol on his lips. "You said you wouldn't," she reprimanded. Lance always got a bit... different after he had a beer too many.

He leaned in, trying to hear her over the music that was blasting throughout the house. "What?"

"I said-"

Lance cut her off in mid-sentence. "Let's go somewhere quieter."

"Okay."

He grabbed her hand and threaded through the throng of people, tugging her along. He found a small room off in the corner. A guest room, Jasey figured. "This is crazy," she said as he shut the door. They could still hear the music pounding through the wood.

Lance didn't reply to that, but moved in closer to her, making Jasey take little steps back as he continued to advance. "You're so beautiful," he mumbled as he ran a hand through her hair.

She felt her heart flutter. No one had ever called her that. No one even ever seemed to take a second glance at her before he came along. "Only you think that," she said, smiling as he cupped her face with his rough hand.

His blue eyes darkened. "No, I caught some dumbass football players watching you dance tonight. The little fuckers..." he muttered. "I'll have to teach them a lesson."

"Lance!" She knew what 'teach them a lesson' meant, and it wasn't pleasant.

"Hey, hey, don't worry," he soothed, running a hand down her arm. "They won't be bothering you anymore, babe."

That hadn't exactly been what Jasey was worried abut, but her mind was distracted when Lance suddenly pulled in tighter by the waist and kissed her, his lips moving agressively against hers, nothing soft or gentle about it. It took her a moment to react, but she was soon kissing him back, her hands going up to tangle themselves in his brown hair. Jasey was just getting into the rhythm of things when Lance's cold hands made her start as they teased her toned belly. Her heart began to race as they trailed around her back and then up to the clasp of her bra. He yanked her closer as his hands fumbled with the metal hooks.

"Lance," Jasey warned, pushing his hands back down. He knew that she wasn't like that.

Her words fell on deaf ears. He abandoned that mission and let his hands drop back to her bum, squeezing it softly as he attacked her neck with kisses.

And then suddenly, they were falling on a bed. Lance caught himself with his arms so that he didn't crush Jasey, but she suddenly found herself uncomfortable. "Ok, that's enough," she said, struggling from underneath him. Her boyfriend's arms kept her down though, an unmovable bar on each side. "Lance, get off."

He thought she was playing a game. "Oh, so it's going to be like that?" he asked, a dark spark igniting in his eyes. Suddenly, his hands were wrapped around her wrists, pinning her down. "Kiss me."

"Lance, this isn't funny."

"Kiss me," Lance commanded, this time with more force.

Jasey continued struggling as her gaze transformed into a glare. This was why she hated it when he drank. Lance turned into someone she didn't recognize. "I'm not going to kiss you. Let me up."

His eyes narrowed at her response. "You little bitch," he growled. Lance then suddenly pulled his hand back, glaring menacingly at his girlfriend. There was hardly time to think before he struck her hard against the cheek.

Jasey froze.

The only sound between them was their harsh breathing as their minds processed what he had just done.

He hit her.

"I'm so sorry," he finally whispered, scrambling to move away from her.

His girlfriend raised a hand to her quickly reddening cheek as she pushed herself into a seated position, her eyes filled with confusion and fear. Lance had actually hit her.

How was she supposed to respond to that?

She looked over and was surprised to see Lance bent over, head in his hands, muttering to himself. "I'm such a fucking idiot," he started repeating over and over again. "I'm such a fucking idiot."

Jasey then realized that it wasn't his fault. That hadn't been Lance. That dark and possessive side of him had surfaced only because of the alcohol. That wasn't the boy she loved.

"I'm so sorry," he said again, regret clearly spelled out on his features.

Cautiously, Jasey edged closer to him. "I know," she whispered. Lance's blue eyes met hers before he wrapped his arms around her waist, gripping her tightly to his body.

They could get through this, she knew they would.

If only it had been a one time thing.

Jasey was what you would call a stereotypical good girl. She didn’t like drinking, hated drugs, and was actually quite studious. Lance had been fine with all of that until she confided in him that she was "saving herself for marriage". Things almost turned violent again, but he had managed to get out of there before anything happened.

The unfortunate part was that, he had run off to his ex-girlfriend's house after, which let to much more than talking. It was an accident though, he had sworn to Jasey when she found out. It would never happen again, Lance promised.

And she believed him. It took a while for her to forgive him, of course, but it made sense. He was just hurt and confused after all.

Then there was the time when he had been high off some drugs his brother bought off a guy. Jasey had come around, not knowing what was going on. Lance had been completely stoned and started demanding his girlfriend to suck him off. Of course, Jasey wouldn't which made him completely pissed. She was hit again. Harder this time.

But it was just the drugs. He didn’t mean it.

Jasey kept telling herself this, complete believing the lies that she was etching into her brain. Her friends had given up. All that she saw of Addison and Nina were during classes or in the halls between classes. She told herself that it was alright. They were the past. All that they ever talked about when they were together was how her relationship with Lance was "unhealthy".

Whatever that meant.

So she went on dating Lance, taking his abuse for those breif moments where he was actually sweet and kind. All of Nina and Addison's comments were stored in the back of her mind, completely ignored.

Until that night.

It was spring break and Lance’s parents were out for the weekend. He had immediately invited Jasey over for a night and she quickly agreed. Her parents would never have agreed to it, but she had lied to them and told them, saying that she was staying the night at Nina’s. Sure, they weren’t really friends anymore, but their history let her escape out the door without any questions.

The night had started out normal, watching movies downstairs in the living room. Jasey was comfortably cuddled in Lance’s arms, watching the cheesy couple burst into tears as they were reunited. She could barely focus though, since Lance had gotten bored with the chick flick and was tracing her collar bone with his lips. “Lance,” she laughed. “Just watch.”

"But this is so much more entertaining," he said, his voice making his lips buzz against her skin. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered and continued down her throat.

Jasey could feel her heart thudding faster and faster in her chest as he slowly then began to push her down onto the couch, laying down on top of her. Lance's lips were brought back to her own and she accepted the kiss, her mouth parting slightly. She lost herself in the passion of the kiss and was thoroughly enjoying it until she felt Lance pull away briefly to yank his shirt off. Her eyes furrowed in confusion. “Lance?”

“Just a little hot,” he murmured and went back to kissing her. She didn't think about the oddness of his response. Or maybe she hadn't wanted to.

His hand was in her hair, pulling her head to his as their mouths fused together, their tongues battling each other for dominance. Jasey knew that it was a lost cause and gave in, letting Lance explore her mouth.

Suddenly, his hands were everywhere. On her hips, cupping her bum, everywhere. Jasey couldn't help but let out a soft moan when a hand found its way up her shirt, his thumb just grazing the skin underneath her breast. Lance smirked into the kiss and let his hands fall, a finger hooking on the waistband of her sweat shorts. "Oh, so you like that, babe?"

She didn't process the fact that he had shoved her shorts down until she felt the cold air hit her exposed legs when the blanket that had been covering the couple fell off the couch. "Lance!"

“Sh, it’s just me,” he soothed.

His words did nothing to calm her though and she started to writhe under his grip. Lance seemed to realize this and grabbed her wrists roughly with both hands, his biceps bulging and he kept her underneath him. Using his teeth, he pulled the thin shirt that she was wearing off of her stomach and began pressing light kisses on the now exposed skin.

Jasey wouldn't have any of it and continued to thrash under his body. "Lance get off! What the hell are you doing!?"

And then she finally got it.

She was a fucking idiot.

That Lance that surfaced when he was drunk or high wasn't some little part of him that was activated when his mind was a little addled from alcohol or substance abuse. No, that was the real him that was released.

That was the monster that she had been dating.

Nina and Addison were right.

He was an abuser. Didn't she have the bruises to prove it? Jasey couldn't remember a time where he told her that he loved her, because frankly, she figured that he didn't. He was just using her and was now just getting bored of the simple kisses. Lance wanted more.

And like hell was she going to give him that.

"Get off." Jasey said the words as firmly as possible, but all he did was tighten his grip. She could feel him on top of her, his body heat foreign and unwanted. It felt like she was trapped. Her heart started to race as his lips continued to move against her skin. What if she wasn't able to escape?

"Lance!" His teeth were now pulling on the waistband of her underwear, since his hands were busy holding her down.

The perverted boy that she had somehow taken to calling her boyfriend was honestly...

She didn't know what to say about him anymore.

"What the hell!? NO!" Jasey screamed, kicked, flailed, doing whatever she thought could get him off of her. She needed room to breathe. Her knee managed to connect to his crotch and Lance's grip on her hand loosened for just a second as the pain radiated through his body.

Taking advantage of this, Jasey ripped her hand from his hold and brought it down as hard as she could on his cheek. Shock froze Lance and she took the lapse in his focus to roll out from underneath him, scampering away as fast as she could. "You're a fucking asshole," she spat out at the boy. Jasey yanked her shorts up, her eyes were burning with fury. "You little fucking horny bitch."

Lance got up and started to walk to her, hand outstretched. "Jasey I'm so-"

"Sorry?" she finished for him frostily. She took two steps back, maintaining the space between them. "Really Lance? Are you sure about that? You almost fucking raped me, right there you little motherfucker. I can't believe that I even believed for a second that-"

Lance's right cheek was already red from the slap, but now his other was flushed red in anger. "Rape? How the fuck can you even accuse me of rape?!"

She gave him an incredulous look. "That's the question you're asking?! Not even some shit apology like you usually do?" Jasey let out a dark laugh. "You had me pinned down, Lance. I'm leaving." She spun around quickly, stomping away. Murderous thoughts about him were racing through her mind.

Suddenly, there were pounding footstep behind her. Lance grabbed her by the shoulder and roughly dragged her back to him. "No you're not, you little slut." He took hold of her neck and smashed his lips against hers.

The feeling of him on her felt sick. The feeling on him being so close to her alone, made her feel dirty. There were so many things going on wrong that night that all she really wanted to do right then was curl up in a corner and cry. But with her last bit of strength, she held back the tears.

Jasey ripped her head away from him and when he went to grab her again, she kneed him straight where it hurt the most, glaring at him as he fell to the floor, whimpering in pain. "We're done."

And with that, she walked out of the door and out of that part of her life.

Notes

Thank you! And REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!

~Sianna Sister