f i f t e e n

____________

ELI wasn't sure what to expect on the staircase, but it surely wasn't a drunken Tara going up with Frankie.

The same Frankie quite infamous for being the worst human being alive, was currently gripping Tara with an iron fist.

"Hey, Tara," Alex pushes past her brother, standing on the first step. "Why don't you come back down? We can dance some more."

"I think she's done dancing," Frankie chuckles.

"Good thing she wasn't asking you," Jamie narrows her eyes.

"Let her go, man," Eli sighs, turning to Frankie.

Tara then trips a little on her way over, gripping his crop top as she assures, "No, Eli, I want to."

"Yeah, see Eli? It's okay, she wants to," Frankie yanks Tara hard enough for her to fall as he walks, and when Alex goes to help, he practically shoves her aside as well.

In her drunken haze, she loses her balance, slipping down the stairs as Chad helps her up. She winces at her knee hitting the wood, accepting his assistance graciously.

Eli, now pissed off, pulls Frankie down the stairs, pushing him into the wall.

"Don't touch my sister again," he pushes him harder into the wall.

"She shouldn't have been in my way," he chuckles. "You're just mad you didn't get to Tara first."

"Fuck you."

"Alright, Risky Business, time to go," Chad joins Eli's side once he ensures Alex is okay.

"Oh, your boyfriend coming to help?" he fake pouts. "She wanted to go with me."

"No, she's drunk out of her mind and you know it," Eli retorts, not once letting go of his collar.

"How about this: You can have her when I'm done. Maybe I'll take the other one for a spin too," he smirks, winking at Alex.

In a split second, Eli punches him in the nose hard enough for him to fall, beginning to go back for more when Chad pulls him back.

"He's not worth it, man," Chad shakes his head.

"Listen to your buddy. Maybe you should keep better watch of your girl and this wouldn't be a problem," Frankie cups his bloody nose.

"Fuck this," Chad rolls his eyes, grabbing his collar and pulling him up.

"Keep talking, man," Eli takes him from Chad, pinning him against the wall.

"Guys," Tara slurs out an interjection.

"Hey, hey, sorry to interrupt," Sam comes into the crowd, successfully pulling Chad and Eli away from the frat boy. "I'm just gonna tase you in the balls real quick."

"Wha-" he doesn't get much time to question it, before a current of electricity runs through him, sending him straight to the ground.

"Don't ever lay hands on my sister."

"You fucking bitch!"

Chad and Eli dap each other up at the sight of the boy writhing on the ground, faltering at Alex's look of amused judgment.

"You're gonna need to ice that black eye," Jamie adds, Alex hitting her arm but grinning in approval.

"Sam," Tara stands, clearly sobered up from the exchange as she shouts, "Are you fucking kidding me? You're stalking me now?"

"Holy shit it's that psycho girl!" a partygoer shouts, and one by one they all begin to recognize the group.

One even reaches out to Jamie and Alex, holding a phone. "Can I get a picture?"

"No!" They say in unison, faces screwed up as they watch Tara run out of the party.

"Tara!" Sam chases after her, the rest of the group joining in. "Will you stop?"

"I can't believe you did that, you embarrassed me," Tara shouts.

"That guy was a dick, he was gonna take advantage of you," Sam argues.

"So?"

"So?"

"If I wanna hook up with an asshole, that's my decision! It's my decision! I mean, you're out of my life for five years, and then you can't leave me alone for five minutes."

"Because you're not dealing with what happened to us. Have you even gone to see the counselor once?"

"No, I'm not going to."

"Guys, can we take this back to the apartment?" Alex suggests, interrupted by Tara's glare. "Or you could do it here, in front of the entire city."

Chad chuckles at her sarcasm, patting her back in mock sympathy.

"No, I'm not going to," Tara responds to Sam.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm uninterested in living in the past like you are," Tara shouts.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Guys, come on," Chad attempts, everyone else mutually exhausted by yet another Carpenter duel.

"It means I'm not gonna let what happened to us for three days define the rest of my life."

Eli glances up at that, a wave of guilt crashing over him as he realizes he may have contributed to Tara's behavior as of late.

"So you're just gonna pretend it never happened?"

"What are you doing here, Sam? In New York. I mean, you're working two shitty jobs to help with rent, whatever. But what's your plan?"

"T..." Jamie shakes her head, knowing personally that she will regret everything she's saying in the morning.

The amount of times she wished she could take back the vile things she'd said to Alex and even Eli in an argument were direct proof of that.

"I know what I'm gonna do," she continues. "Okay, because I'm gonna keep going to college, I'm gonna get my degree and I'm gonna live my life. My life. Okay, I know. You just follow me here and you won't let me out of your sight."

"I'm just trying to look out for you," Sam frowns.

"I..." Tara wipes her face in frustration. "I know. I know you are. You can't do it for the rest of my life, though. You have to let me go."

"Hey," a blonde girl rapidly approaches them, holding a full cup and splashing it onto Sam. "Murderer."

"What the fuck is wrong with you, bitch?" Sam shouts. "You got a problem with me?"

Immediately, Chad and Eli hold her back as Jamie reaches out to the girl, fully prepared to fight.

"Bitch," Jamie yells.

"You guys should stay away from her, she knows what she did."

"I didn't fucking do anything!"

"Sure, bitch."

"I'm so sick of this shit," Sam groans as the group begins walking back.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Alex frowns, handing her the coat she was wearing.

"You don't have to..."

"Take it," the girl demands, and reluctantly she accepts.

"I have tissues if you want tissues," Ethan stammers, reaching into his pocket. "I have, like, three tissues."

Alex smiles at his kindness, quirking an eyebrow before catching up with the group.

"You know you can't go punching every asshole in New York, right?" she scolds Eli with a laugh.

"Yeah, you need your hands for that big surgeon career," Jamie adds.

"What an interesting way to say thank you," he sarcastically responds.

"Come on," they reluctantly pull him in for a hug as they walk.

_____

Finally back at the Carpenter place, Eli knocks on Tara's door as she talks to Quinn.

Immediately, she perks up, giving Quinn a look.

"I'm gonna go, let you guys... chat," Quinn awkwardly announces.

"You're always so subtle, Quinn," Eli remarks, a sarcastic grin tying his words together.

"Shut up," she shakes her head, winking at Tara as she closes her door.

"Here," he places a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin on her dresser.

"Thanks," she glances down at his hand, spotting the bruise beginning to form on his knuckles. "That looks pretty bad."

"I've had worse," he shrugs, putting the ice pack over it. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just kind of an unexpected turn to the night, is all."

"Clearly," he sits next to her. "What was that back there?"

"I guess I was just more messed up than I realized. Thank you for getting me away from him," she smiles.

"Don't take it too personally, I've been wanting to punch that guy since we had Calculus together, you just gave me an excuse," he shrugs.

"Oh, right, of course. Why would you do anything for me?" she plays along.

"Now you're getting it. However, I would like to say that if you wanted to hook up with an asshole, I'm offended I wasn't your first pick," he holds his hands out, forcing a laugh out of her.

"Yeah, right," she snorts, pushing him slightly.

He only leans closer, voice dropping a bit as he says, "I would've made it worth your while."

"That would require you to be an asshole," her eyes flit between his lips and eyes, a small smirk on her own face. "You lost that title a year ago."

"I could bring it back, just for you."

"How kind," she grins. "Too bad I don't want that."

"Then what do you want?"

"Take a guess," she whispers, getting impossibly close. "And just so you know, I'm not messed up anymore."

"Good," his hand grazes the side of her neck, lips just barely touching hers.

The past five months of inexplicable tension, prolonged looks, and touches that seemed to push the barrier of friendship or whatever they were, finally coming to fruition.

That is, until Quinn walks back in the room, bursting their bubble.

"Sorry, I left my-"

Immediately, Eli pulls away, glaring at the redhead while Tara drops her head to the ground, wincing in embarrassment.

"Oh my God, did I just cockblock you?" she widens her eyes.

"What did you say?"

"Please."

"I cockblocked you. I cockblocked you, didn't I?"

"You just made this ten times worse."

"Immediately no."

"No more cockblocking," Eli grimaces.

"What did you need?" Tara tilts her head, clear exasperation in her tone.

"My phone."

"Don't ever enter a room like that again."

"I won't. No, it was rude."

"Find your phone yet?" Eli questions.

"Yep. So I will be... leaving," she backs out of the room, mouthing "Sorry" to Tara.

As the door closes, Eli checks his phone, realizing it was getting late and he probably shouldn't have even done that in the first place.

"So, um, I'm gonna head back to my place," he scratches his head. "I'll see you."

"Right," she attempts to hide her disappointment.

"Um, drink some water and get some sleep. You're cranky enough when you're fully rested," he jokes.

"Ha ha."

"And be nice to Sam. My experience with overbearing sisters has informed me that it's always out of love," he smiles. "Oh, and try not to dream about me."

The last comment makes her grab her pillow, tossing it at his head.

"Stop the violence!" he laughs.

"Just go home," she rolls her eyes.

"Aye aye captain," he salutes, walking out of the room.

Tara then flops backward on her bed, amazed at how much can change in a year. Like, how in the hell is it possible that Eli Roberts was about to kiss her and she was gonna let him?

And why was she still feeling giddy about it?

______

"Hey, let's head back," Eli walks back in the living room, nodding towards the door.

"You done confessing your undying love for Tara?" Jamie teases, the rest of the room chuckling.

"Shut up," he glares.

"You can't run from love," Alex dramatically sighs, opening the door.

"Oh my God," he groans.

"Guys, come back quick, we should watch a movie!"

"We'll be so speedy," Jamie assures.

Alex quickly runs into her room to change and before Jamie can do the same, Eli pulls her back.

"How many?" he crosses his arms.

"Is this a riddle?" she snorts, growing nervous.

"How many shots did you take?"

"Eli, come on, I'm almost a year sober."

"Yeah, exactly. But you were stumbling in the party and I can smell vodka. I'm not mad, J, just tell me the truth."

"It was only two. Just please don't tell Alex."

"Tell Alex what?" the girl comes out of her room with an amused grin, holding her phone.

"Nothing."

"Okay... I ordered a pizza. Go change," she gives them a look, turning the TV on.

As the other two go find something more comfortable, the news comes on, startling Alex with the latest headline.

"Holy shit. Guys!" she turns the TV up, eyes wide.

"What?" Eli frowns, turning to the TV as Jamie comes back out as well.

"Coming up: In the midst of the kickoff of Halloween celebrations, two Blackmore University students have been brutally murdered in their New York apartment-turned-shrine to the Stab movies."

"That's Jason," Jamie gasps.

"Yeah, we need to tell the others, come on," Alex grabs her keys.