2:3 Love And Hate

Lisa came home from school with Jackson almost every day now they were dating. They'd do their homework together and then just sit around listening to music and talking.

Parker was Lisas' close friend, they had been friends since childhood and Jackson had become good friends with him too by now. He popped in during one of their study sessions and told the couple about a new tavern that was opening that night. He said that it should be a fun night and they agreed the three of them would check it out.

"That's good!" Parker grinned. "The cab is waiting outside." Jackson and Lisa smiled at each other. Parker clearly had had no intention of either of them saying no to the idea anyway. They put their homework away and headed out to the tavern.

The boys played fooseball together with a couple of strangers, while Lisa looked on. She soon realised Parker was better at it than her boyfriend so chose to cheer for him. Jackson didn't feel hurt by this because the two were so close. After Parker had well and truly beaten him, he offered to play Lisa. She refused, saying it wasn't a game for girls.
"And besides, curfew is in half an hour and we have school tomorrow." She looked at the two boys, hoping they would take the hint and leave with her to avoid trouble. They did and they shared a taxi to their own homes.

The next day was Friday, and the second Mercedes got home from work, she was on the phone inviting people to go clubbing with her that night. After a lot of positive responses, she shouted to Jackson, who was in his room doing his homework, to invite some people too and join them before she ran to the bathroom to begin getting ready.

The pair arrived at the club early. Mercedes ordered some drinks and urged Jackson to have one. He was a little skeptical as he was still underage.
"What the barman doesn't know, can't hurt" she winked "Besides, you're not going to get arrested, this place is empty!" Jackson shrugged and took a drink from the bar. She was right, they were the only two in the club besides the barman.

Lisa arrived minutes after Jackson finised his drink and pulled him to the dancefloor. Mercedes smiled at the young lovebirds and ordered herself another drink while she waited for her own friends to arrive.

Jackson and Lisa were too involved with each other to notice Mercedes was still standing alone at the bar. Ordering drink after drink, getting more and more drunk as she began to realise all her friends had stood her up.

Jackson eventually went over to the bar to order some food for him and his girlfriend. Lisa had clearly had some alcohol at some point, although he hadn't seen her drink any here. She proceeded to jump onto the bar and start dancing while Jackson ordered their meals. He caught Mercedes eye quickly, she didn't look happy but neither said a work to the other as she rushed off to the bathroom while tears started to run down her cheeks. Jackson contemplated going after her. He didn't like seeing his friend upset, but Lisa started to wobble and looked like she might fall off the bar so he turned his attention back to her. He sat her at a table and she ate hungrily at her pizza before running off to throw it back up. He phoned a taxi for her and pulled her outside, hoping the fresh air would sober her up a bit before her ride came.

Just as Lisas' taxi pulled off the police appeared.
"You do realise it's 3 in the morning. Where is your chaperone?" Jackson pointed to the club behind him and the officer escorted him inside to find Mercedes. It soon became apparent that Mercedes had left at some point and so Jackson was bundled into the squad car and driven home.

When Jackson finally woke up the next afternoon, he went into the communal area to find Mercedes in a foul mood.
"Are you ok, Mercy? You disapeared last night and..."
"Do I look ok, Jack? No. I'm not ok. Just leave me alone!" There was a knock at the door and she stormed off to answer it as Jackson moved to the bathroom to clean up.

He could hear her talking angrily to a man outside. He recognised his voice as that of her... boyfriend? He had stayed the night a few times anyway. He heard the front door slam shut and he moved to the kitchen to have some breakfast.

Just outside the bathroom door, Mercedes was once again wrapped up in that mans' arms. Jackson awkwardly avoided looking at the couple as he went to the fridge. That man must have had a way with words, as minutes earlier Mercedes looked as if she could rip someones head off. After breakfast, Jackson excused himself and headed off to Lisas' to check how she was doing after the night before.

The next morning, he was woken by screaming just outside his door. Mercedes was yelling at the man from yesterday.
"Chris! I can't believe you!" So that was his name. "I was standing alone at that bar for 6 hours!! And then I find out you were bedding down with some random girl off the street?! Am I not enough for you? Can I not keep you satisfied?"

"Baby, listen, who are you going to believe? Me? Or some rumours?" Jackson pulled on his clothes and headed for the kitchen to see if he could help out his friend. She had been really upset that night and he knew she hadn't meant to snap at him the morning after.
"They're not rumours! I trust my best friend over you any day. It was her room mate Chris, she saw you!! How can you deny that?"
"It wasn't what it looked like..."

Jackson burst into the kitchen, and immediately wished he hadn't. He quickly turned his attention to the over-filled kitchen bin. Mercedes was stomping towards the door and Chris grabbed her arm. She swung round and hit him around the face a few times before pushing him out the door.
"I never want to see you again!" she screamed and quickly slammed the door shut. She took a deep shakey breath and tried to hold back tears.

She started for her room and Jackson stopped her.
"I'm here if you want to talk..." He trailed off. Would he really be any use? He'd never been in this situation before and had no idea what to say. "Or I could call Lisa over if you want to talk to a girl?" He added, thinking that Lisa would know what to say in this situation.
"Thanks, but I'm ok for now." Her voice was breaking and she was looking towards her door, longing to just shut the world out and cry herself to sleep. "Maybe tomorrow. You're sweet though, marching in here to save me from a monster" She almost smiled as she said that last bit, but it quickly faded and she went straight to her room, slamming the door behind her as always.



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