Chapter 44

We're walking to the train in silence, and wait for the train to come. It takes a while surprisingly. Then, Dean comes up to me.

"Hey, Ro can I talk to you?" Dean asks

"Sure," I say. Why would Dean want to talk to me? We walk a little farther from the group so no one can hear us.

"I just wanted to say thank you," Dean says, obviously a little awkward saying this to me.

"For what," I ask curiously

"For letting me tag along. I know I'm not the greatest person, but thanks for not kicking me out from coming along" Dean laughs

"Dean, I think we just started on the wrong foot. I definitely don't hate you, and I'm glad you came" I smile

"Wow, thank you," Dean says, meaning it.

"Of course," I tell him smiling "Friends?" I say extending my hand

"Friends" He nods, taking it.

I smile at him, and we walk back to where everyone else is. He goes to talk to Jess, and I go to Katherine.

"What was that all about?" She asks

"You know, Dean might not actually be that bad," I tell her, smiling

"Wow. We've really reached that phase" Katherine says, not buying it

"No, I mean it! He's nice, surprisingly. I like him more than Liam, that's for sure" I tell her

"I can't fight you on that one. Liam's an ass with the good hair" Katherine says

I laugh and say "It's like you're trying to compliment him"

"Hey, I said good, not great" Katherine smiles at me.

I laugh and the train then comes, and we hop on. We sit against the wall, talking and laughing on the way back to the compound. When we get back, I see Tobias back at the chasm with everyone. He sees us and comes over to where we are.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Tobias asks

"It was... interesting" Jess says

"By interesting you mean?" Tobias says

"We got guns put to our heads," Jonathan says blankly, walking away.

I suck in my lips and Tobias says "What? He's joking right?"

"Nope," I say

"Who was the guy?" Tobias says

"Don't worry, it was my fault I was being rude?" I say

"That doesn't mean he puts a gun on your head!" Tobias says

"Mom already handled it, ok? It's fine" I tell him

"Ro It's not fine-" Tobias begins

"Tobias please," I say softly "Please, just let it go this one time?"

"Fine" He responds "But If I ever see that guy somewhere, I will beat him up," he says walking away

"Ok, perfect" I laugh. He smiles and walks back to the group, and I turn back to everyone else.

"Ok, guys, It's 12 and we have training tomorrow. Do we go to sleep or?..." I ask

"Oh, come on, you guys can stay up until at least 12:30. Let's do something until then" Jess says

"Ok, like what?" I ask

"Well maybe-" Jess says

"Jess!" Liam says running to us. Emma rolls her eyes and pretends to be in a conversation with me so she doesn't have to face him. I say random things like "Oh ya! That was so funny" to go along with it.

"Oh, hey!" Jess says turning to face Liam

"You said you were going to the dining hall, but then I hear you left. Why are you keeping things from me?" Liam says

"It was a last-minute plan, and I went up to the apartment to tell you, but you weren't there so I left," Jess tells him

"You couldn't have at least found me? Told me you were leaving?" Liam says

"I would have, but we had to leave quickly," Jess says

"Jess, what if you got hurt and I didn't know? And it seems like you're hiding things from me now! " Liam says

"Liam, I can take care of myself, and I don't hide things from you," Jess says

"Well you haven't been telling me where you've been going lately," Liam says

"I can go where I want to go, I don't have to tell everyone I know where I'm going at all times," Jess says

"I'm your boyfriend it's different," Liam says, holding on to Jess's arm

"Ro doesn't tell Jake everywhere she's going at all times," Jess says. Jake and I glance at each other but then look back at Jess and Liam.

"You're comparing us now?" Liam says

"I mean it as in, he trusts her. And she trusts him, that's the way it should be" Jess says

"That's not fair Jess," Liam says, a little angrier.

"Ow, Liam you're hurting me," Jess says, referring to Liam's hand still on her arm.

"Jess, you're not listening to me" Liam pleads, ignoring the pain in Jess's voice

"Liam, let go of me, your hurting me!" Jess says, trying to get out of his grip.

"Liam let go you're hurting her-" I begin to say

"YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!" Liam yells at me. People begin to look at us, whispers going around and Dean speaks up.

"Liam, stop," Dean says

"What happened to you? I thought we were best friends, huh?" Liam says, going a little closer to Dean

"I'm not gonna be friends with someone who treats people like you do," Dean tells him

"Say that again," Liam says, going a little closer to him

"Liam stop," Dean says, backing up

"I dare you to say that again," Liam says.

"Liam, that's enough stop-" Jess tries to say

"YOU SHUT UP!" Liam says, pointing to Jess

She sucks in a breathe and stops. I see water beginning to form in her eyelids. Jake puts an arm around my waist, uncomfortable with the way Liam is acting.

"Liam, calm down," I tell him

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Liam yells, at me "I'll do whatever I want"

"You're being irrational," Jonathan says "You have to calm down, people are looking"

"I don't give a damn, let them look," Liam tells him "Jess let's go," he says grabbing her wrist.

I see by the way he grabs her wrist, he's hurt her before. It's the same way Marcus used to grab mine. He's abusing her, not only emotionally, but physically. This time I can't just watch it happen.

I grab Jess before he can take her and say "You're not taking her anywhere"

"Who are you to decide that?" Liam tells me

"You've been abusing her, haven't you?" I say, ignoring his question

"What the hell are you talking about stuff?" Liam says

"I'm not stupid, I know you're hurting her," I tell him. He goes slightly quiet at that.

"Jess is that true?" Jake says "Be honest"

"Yeah, it is," Jess says

"How could I've not seen it sooner, the way she talks about you, it's not love. She doesn't want you around, she doesn't want you hanging out with us, because you are an abuser." I tell him

"Oh please, stop being so dramatic I am not an abuser," Liam says

"What do you call someone who emotionally and physically hurts someone else?" I tell him.

"I'm helping her," Liam says

"Funny how that's exactly what Marcus used to say when he hurt me and my brother," I tell him, fake smiling. He goes silent at that.

"So here's what's going to happen, Liam," I say "You are going to take all of your crap out of Jess's apartment, and you're going to leave her alone from now on"

"And what if I don't?" Liam tells me

"Then you'll know what it feels like to fall over that railing into the chasm," I say quietly

"And who's going to do that? You?" Liam says "You're a girl, you can't do anything"

"Oh really?" I raise my eyebrows. I punch him in the jaw, hard, and he gets knocked off by it. I then elbow him in the stomach, and he groans clutching it. I grab onto his collar so that his face is level with mine.

"Do you wanna try that again buddy?" Jake says

"What are you going to do tonight Liam?" I tell him. He mumbles it and I say "Louder, say it again"

"I'll take my stuff, and leave Jess alone," Liam says

"Good," I say, releasing his collar, and walking back to where I was standing before. He crouches on the ground, still in pain. Winning against him feels better than beating Dean. That's saying something.