As Nina walked down the stairs into her living room, her father, Gavin set down the wooden bowl of salad. Still dressed in work clothes, he prepped the dinner table for the nights meal.

Gavin Woods was the premier architect for the Upstate New York area. Not only was he successful in his career, he was also impossibly good looking. Light stubble on his chin gave way to his impeccable jawline. His tailored dress pants and lavender button down showed off his well maintained body. The 15,000 dollar Rolex on his wrist also showed his well maintained bank account.

Nina's friends, the girls that is, fawned over him like no other. He was the Greek god of the dad world.

She smiled when the table only accompanied her father and Ben, her 14 year old kid brother. However, the annoyance set in when she heard her voice coming from the kitchen.

"Yummy salad tonight babe," the Abbey exclaimed as she came from around the corner, popping a piece of spinach in her mouth.

Abbey, Nina's stepmom, took off her baking apron, "Alright, dig in," she smiled down upon them and watched as everyone took a little bit of everything, all except for Nina.

Prime rib graced the middle of the glass table, on each side were three different vegetables and carbs. For such a skinny shit, she sure knew how to prepare a feast. Clearly satisfied with herself, she took a seat next to Gavin and began making herself a plate, the small smirk she wore never leaving her face.

Nina and Ben's mom died five years ago. And it crushed the family to it's core.

Her death was the start of a long list of issues that Nina adopted as now an every day part of life, including her fathers relationship with Abbey.

In a way, Nina had always felt that Gavin was betraying her mom. Even though he had waited almost two years to start dating again, she thought he moved on too fast. It didn't help that Abbey was nothing like her mother, another trigger causing her unwarranted anger towards her.

She was too young, though only by a few years and had more of a free spirit. Thinking that painting pictures of abstract art was a sensible day job. So, as she colored her canvas in her destroyed overalls all day, Nina's father slaved away at work, paying the bills while she lived out her dream.

That didn't sit right with Nina, her mother always worked.

Abbey would never compare, no matter how many dinners she made or pictures she painted and then used to decorate a home she did not pay for.

"Ben, how was school?" Gavin asked as he cut into his tender meat, slicking through Nina's angry thoughts.

Ben grazed his fork against his plate, "It was shit."

Gavin dropped his fork, the metal pinged against the white porcelain, "Benjamin!" He hissed loudly. Nina cracked a smile, trying to conceal it.

Ben looked up to her under his eyelashes from across the table. A small, almost invisible smirk played upon his lips. He was at an age where he was getting a feel for what he could get away with. And while he was being rebellious, he enjoyed amusing Nina in the process.

Nina loved her brother, but he didn't have the same feelings towards Abbey as she did and a part of her resented him for it. At times if felt as if the entire house was against her, especially during her recovery. 

Gavin noticed the amusement between the two, "You egg him on you know," he pressed, picking up his fork once more, "He does this because he knows you think it's funny," he spat firmly, pointing the silverware in her direction.

Nina opened her mouth slightly, shocked that she was being blamed, all the while knowing he had every right to blame her, "Really dad?" However, she wasn't going to take the fault for Ben's actions, "Maybe he's taking a lesson from all the other teenagers he hangs around with on a daily basis. Did you ever think that was a possibility? Or maybe he overhears your work calls with your builders, you seem to throw quite a few different words around during those," she spat her snarky comment while she popped a piece of meat into her mouth.

Abbey's eyes moved back and forth as the two bickered, "Guys, let's try not to fight tonight, huh? Let's just enjoy our meal and talk about these exciting first days back."

"Fine," Nina huffed, annoyed by her attempt to butt in on family business. Pulling her plate closer, she slammed her fork into her food.

Gavin eyed his daughter for a few more seconds before moving back to his troublemaker of a son, "Ben, I'm not going to tell you again, watch your language," he wiped his mouth with a napkin as Ben nodded in compliance, "Nina what about you, how was school?"

"I got a new chem partner for the semester," she said flatly, wanting to make it known that she wasn't up for conversation.

Surprised, Gavin pressed, "No Trish?"

"Mr. Harris thought it would be better to assign partners himself," Nina admitted, no longer hungry. Her patience was also running very thin as the questions seemed to continue.

Still chewing his food, Gavin expressed his approval, "Well, this is a good thing. Maybe we'll see some improvement on that report card this year?" He questioned her with his deep blue eyes. Abbey reached over and squeezed his hand.

Grades were a touchy subject for her, especially with all that she was going through, and her father knew that. It wasn't like she was purposely letting her GPA fall and yet he acted as if she had control over it during her treatment period.

Noticing Abbey's slender hand, Nina clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, was that her taking his side?

"May I be excused?" Not wanting to get into too much trouble that might prohibit her from leaving the house, she was aggressively polite in her question.

Gavin looked over to her plate that was barely touch, he sighed, "Sure."

Heading to her room she began to get ready for the night, rummaging through her closet for the perfect something. In this town, high school parties were all the rage. The local frats and sororities were known to show up with their own set of kegs.

It was one of the only things to do.

The rows and rows of clothes were a bit intimidating. Finding something to wear was a lot harder than it looked. Shoes lined 3 different shelves on the wall. A crystal chandelier in the middle of the ceiling made the two large mirrors shine.

A knock on her closet door frame startled her mid-thought, her dad stood there with his hands tucked in his pockets. He was dressed cozy, finally changing out of his work clothes, which was unusual considering it was Friday and he almost always had some sort of business dinner to attend.

Nina narrowed her brows, "You look comfortable."

Gavin shrugged, "I thought it would be a good night to settle down and maybe catch up on some family time. Maybe watch a few horror flicks?" He crossed his ankles and Nina wanted to laugh at his bare feet. Although he was her father, she wasn't used to seeing him so laid back in terms of style.

"That sounds fun, but--"

"Oh this is going to be good," Gavin crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head, waiting for her excuse.

With a loud exhale, she turned back to her clothes, "I have plans tonight."

"And who might those plans involve?" Trish is the person he didn't want to hear. He liked her and all, but he knows that she's not the best influence at times. Nina has gotten into deep shit with her before and Gavin didn't approve.

"Trish," she said with hesitation in her voice.

Gavin loved Trish, he had known since she was just a toddler. But there were time where he didn't like her overly adventure behavior, especially with boys. Nina couldn't blame her father because Trish was at times, very irresponsible.

But she was and always had been a great friend.

His silence told her she needed to argue her point just a bit more to get her way, "Dad, come on. Its tradition. You know they've been doing the school year party since forever."

Sighing Gavin nodded, "I know, I know," he agreed, "But do you honestly think it's the best idea to go out this early in the school year, you're finally getting back on track."

Walking over to her worried father, Nina put a hand on his shoulder, "Dad, you can't keep me locked away forever. I haven't had an episode in months. The medicine is working," her eyes scanned his, hoping that he'll see her side, "And," she drew out for extra effect, "Trish has all those medications organized in her purse, thanks to you. I'm prepared."

"Okay. Go," he painfully chocked out. Nina squealed, hugging him tightly, "But," he broke the embrace and pointed a strong finger in her face, "I want you to call me when you get there and when you leave," agreeing with a nod of her head, Nina wrapped her arms around her father once more. Kissing her forehead, he walked towards the hallway, "And I want you home no later than 1 am, got it?"

Giving him an obnoxious salute, she cracked a smile, "Got it."

Trish's car horn sounded outside, prompting Nina to grab a light jacket and her small Prada bag that her father had given for her birthday last year. She was so excited to finally be doing something normal, she didn't bother to say goodbye to her family, who was busy making popcorn in the kitchen.

The ride there was filled with loud music, laughs and high expectations for what would make Nina's first party since her episodes began. It was a freeing moment, a gateway way to a more normal way of life.

One that she longed for since her mothers passing.

The bass that was coming from inside the house had managed to radiate off of every stationary object in sight. More than a hundred cars packed the large, elongated driveway. The place looked like a night club, instead of a high school event.

The party was hosted by someone at school, or at least they thought. Either way, it didn't matter, they were there to have a good time regardless. Not only was the place large, but it was also jam-packed.

People crowded every space. Sweat began to form on her forehead. With the heat outside and the fact that the house was over capacity, the two create a deadly mixture of discomfort. It was begging to feel slightly overwhelming.

Taking a deep breath Nina walked down a couple of steps into the large living room. People danced, took shots, played strip poker. The scene was right out of a crappy high school flick. Looking around for Trish, Nina spotted her already weaving through the crowd, unfortunately, it was something that happened all too often.

She slammed her hands at her side and made her way through the sweaty sea of people. Finally breaking through the barrier, she hit the kitchen, which was a little less packed.

Maybe she needed a drink? No, bad idea.

As she stood there, by herself, she spotted the silver lining in all this.

Jax.

She smiled to herself, seeing that her took her advice and it seemed that he had already made a friend. They looked deep in the conversation and she struggled with the idea of approaching them, after all she didn't want to be rude.

Deciding to do it anyway, Nina walked over to the pair and bent sideways like a loser, "Hey," she waved as if she hadn't already look stupid from interrupting their conversation.

Jax laughed at her stance, raising his eyebrows, "Well hey there, glad to see you could make it."

"Well, I wasn't going to invite you to a party that I wasn't coming to," she retorted.

Peering over his red cup, Jax took a sip of his beer, "Oh, so it was you who actually wanted me here and not your friend after all," he poked, resting his back against the counter. That wasn't exactly true, she never would have invited him if Trish hadn't asked her to, but the idea of saying that out loud felt rude.

They stared at each other for a few seconds as she thought about what to say, a little nervous that he might have gotten the wrong impression from school earlier. Before she could somehow politely correct him, they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

Nina looked over at the kid who first had Jax's attention, forgetting he was even present.

The first thing she noticed was his appearance. She wasn't superficial, but he looked homeless, maybe on drugs or both. His blonde hair was slightly colored with purple or red hair dye. His teeth were off white and were the focal point of his face. His icy blue eyes were low and red-rimmed, a night of binge drinking perhaps.

Moral of the story, he didn't look like someone Jax would hang out with or anyone that was from Scarsdale.

"Am I interrupting something?" Nina questioned, looking between both of the boys.

Jax swallowed the last of his beer and shook his head, "No, he was just leaving actually," he choked out. The guy though, didn't look like he was ready to leave. He only moved when Jax gestured for him to move out of the way.

Slowly, he disappeared into the crowd.

"So no Trish?" Jax asked, seemingly interested, pushing off the odd encounter.

Nina ran a hand down her ponytail, "She's somewhere around here. My guess is upstairs with some frat guy," she rolled her eyes at the thought.

For some reason, Trish always seemed to drag her to parties, only to leave her as soon as they walked through the door.

Clicking his tongue, Jax nodded his head, "Typical Trish?"

Chuckling at her friend's unforgivable behavior, Nina looked down at her feet, "I'm afraid so."

Suddenly, Jax did something that made Nina shudder. He reached out and grazed her naked shoulder with his calloused hand, "Hey I wanna thank you for being so nice to me, inviting me to this party and all," he let go and lifted his cup to his surroundings.

Nina grasped the spot on her shoulder that he touched, feeling the electricity under her skin, "Well, It was Trish who wanted to invite you. I think she's taken a liking to you," the touch from Jax made her slightly uncomfortable. She looked around the kitchen to see if anyone took notice.

Jax looked down at his feet, then back up at Nina. His eyes rested under his eyelashes, "That's a shame."

Not getting the hint, Nina tilted her head, "Oh yeah, why's that?"

"Because I was kind of hoping you were the one taking a liking," Jax smirked and turned to the counter, lifting the bottle of Jack Daniels and poured it into his solo cup.

"Jax.." Nina started, ready to set him straight.

But out of the crowd came a familiar voice, "Babe!" Carter shouted as he rushed to her side. Cupping her face, he kissed her lightly, "What are you doing here?"

Nina frowned, "I told you I was coming," he was so forgetful sometimes.

Carter chuckled, "No you said maybe, you didn't text me back so I assumed you stayed home."

His thick dirty blonde locks fell along his face as his sea green eyes smiled her way, he was never not thrilled to see her.

And she felt the same way as his strong body positioned itself next to her tiny frame.

"Surprise," Nina said, smiling, knowing it would make him happy that she was there.

Giving Nina a perplexed look, he turned his attention towards Jax, who was casually sipping his drink, "Who's this?" His arm wrapped tightly around Nina's waist, and she wasn't the only one who noticed the obvious gesture. 

The corners of Jax's lips lifted into a smirk.

"This is Jax," her tone suggested she wasn't prepared for the question. Even though she knew it was coming, "He just transferred."

She felt like she needed to explain more, however she couldn't as she realized she really hadn't learned much about Jax or where he was previously from. She also couldn't help but feel as if she was doing something wrong entertaining his company. Like she was committing some kind of sin.

Nodding slowly, Carter pointed to him, "Right. You're the guy Trish has been looking for."

Jax pursed his lips, "Haven't even met the girl and everyone knows she's looking for me," he joked, "And I'm assuming your Nina's...?" He trailed off, already knowing the answer.

"Boyfriend," Carter offered. The two guys just stared at each other for a moment, polity smirking all the while attempting to hide the awkwardness. Sensing the tension, Nina carefully pushed at Carter to move the conversation along, "So, I heard she's been showing you the ropes. I'll tell you what, you couldn't have a better tour guide. Hopefully she hasn't gotten you into too much trouble though."

Jax laughed, "Only trouble so far was inviting me to a party with free booze," he admitted, taking another swig of his drink as he looked down at Nina.

"Been there, doing that," Carter agreed as he lifted his cup to toast with Jax. A gesture Nina was surprised by. This was going much better than she expected it to. That, or Carter was hiding his annoyance well. 

Shouting came from within the back yard and a few party goers rushed outside, breaking up the conversation. There was clearly some kind of tussle happening out by the pool area. The free booze always caused some sort of trouble, often acting as an excuse to have drunken fights.

Drew, a friend of both Carter and Nina rushed into the kitchen, fighting against the crowd making its way outside, "Carter, they're out here betting on fights man. Half the team is taking hits and we have out first game next weekend, you gotta help me out," he urged, rushing back outside.

Carter exhaled harshly, not bothering to rush as it was something that happened often, "Let me go take care of this. Coach will kill me if one of them actually gets hurt," he breathed out in annoyance, "Jax, it was nice to meet you man and don't let this girl talk you into anything you don't want to do, she has a habit of doing that," he raised an eyebrow with a small smile, offering his hand for Jax to shake.

"I'm sure I'll manage," Jax replied, as he firmly grasped Carter's hand.

He turned to Nina, looking down upon her as his smile fell into a smirk, "I'll be outside if you need me," he kissed her lips gently as she nodded, soon he disappeared into the crowd.

He was a class act and he knew he had nothing to worry about when it came to her interaction with Jax. Carter never had a reason not to trust her and she was sure he wouldn't start now.

But why was she feeling the need to justify it to herself? That was new.

Carter and Nina began dating a year after her mother's death and it was the one good thing that had happened following it.

He had been there through it all, much like Trish was. She couldn't be more grateful for the nights he stayed with her in silence, holding her while she cried from the nightmares that haunted her sleep.

He was one of a kind.

"Nice guy," Jax admitted, his eyes following Carter as he hustled towards the fight.

Nina inhaled, also watching him through the french doors that led to the backyard, "He can be overly friendly when he feels threatened," she laughed, knowing that was the opposite of what most do. Standing there in a puddle of awkwardness, she picked at her ears.

Probably wasn't the best thing to admit to a guy who had been flirting with her all night, she could kick herself. Carter wasn't threatened by him or by anyone, ever. 

Jax chuckled. "Yeah," he nodded, "I got that."

Nina bit the inside of her cheeks. The urge to go to the bathroom suddenly made it's way into her bladder, "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna run to the bathroom," giving Jax a warm smile, she made her way into the sea of people once more.

Making her way up the stairs, she nudged her way past all the drunks playing