Chapter 34.

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As soon as we get back to the Long's residents, me following the siblings in my own car, Nikki runs up to her room. I know she doesn't want to break down in front of her brother so she hides it by going to her bedroom.

I feel like shit.

"Really, Jackson?" I question exasperated.

"I'm not in the mood, Brittni," he snaps making me step back. Did he just snap at me? Me?

"Neither am I," I angrily state. "I'm sick of you thinking you can control everyone's lives."

This seems to set him off, his eyes darken and he stalks over to me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me into his chest. The rage filled expression has me wanting to get out of his hold.

"I said, I'm not in the mood," he growls. With the way he's treating me, I get angry myself.

"Get off of me," I pull my arm free of his grasp. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

He clenches his jaw, turning around towards the cabinet that Colten and him keep their stash in.

"Jackson," I warn, as he opens the wooden door. "Stop."

Grabbing onto his arm this time, I pull him away from the liquor, my body using all of the strength it has.

"What are you doing?" I finally give up and yell. "Why are you acting like this is the end?"

"Because it is," he turns to me, his eyes narrowed. "I can't stand to be around any of them right now. Do you know how that feels like? Not wanting to hang around your best friend and little sister? No, you don't."

I take a step away from him, shaking my head as unwanted tears fill my eyes. He doesn't get it does he? I almost lost my best friend because of what we did, I made sacrifices too.

"Maybe not," I swallow. "But I do know I put my friendship on the line with Nikki so you and I could be together. Or did you forget all about that?"

"Oh come on," Jackson lets out a bitter laugh. I don't even know who he is right now. "We both knew she'd forgive us."

"Fuck you," I spit, pointing my finger at him. "Fuck. You."

"You already did, baby," he smirks making me shake my head again. I'm disgusted by him.

"Have fun wallowing away in your stupid pride," I give him the bird, turning around to walk away.

"I will!" He shouts back.

Asshole.

Jackson's POV.

Brinley's number pops up on my phone and for a second I consider not answering. An hour ago when Brittni left, I felt even more like shit than I did before. I couldn't even drink the alcohol that I thought I needed. Talking to Brinley will bring up the facts about Nathan that I really don't want to hear. Too much is going on today for that shit.

The thing is, if it weren't important, I don't think Brinley would be calling me still after five times. So, swallowing down my shit feelings I pick up the phone.

"What is it?" Not exactly a happy greeting, but I could care less.

"Brittni has been talking to Nathan." That sentence alone has me perked up. There has to be a mistake, Brittni's been with me the past few days. Except - no, she said she was with Tristan.

"Where did you hear this?" I question, heaving myself off of the couch and towards my shoes.

"He told me," she pauses. "And Tristan seemed to know something too. He wouldn't say what, but I'm pretty sure it's the same thing."

I growl profanities under my breath, running a frustrated hand through my hair.

"Where are you?" I ask, grabbing my keys as I wait for anymore information that could lead me to finding this guy. First, I'll find the fucker that's been causing all this mayhem, and then I'll find my girlfriend.

"I'm at Joe's party," she sighs. "But Nathan left."

"You let him leave?" Oh, now I'm furious. She heard Brittni has been trying to get proof from him and she lets him leave?

"I needed to call you!" She shouts. "He must've left when I turned my back."

"Do you know where he might've gone?" I try to even out my harsh words, my voice strained.

"Check Brittni's," she panics. What just happened?

"Why? What's happening?" I'm starting to get worried now.

"His friend just said he was heading to someone's house."

Hanging up the phone, I run out to my car, flooring out of my driveway I speed all the way to Brittni's house. It's a wonder I haven't gotten pulled over yet with my extreme driving.

My head is full of thoughts about what could be happening at this exact moment. Is Nathan actually there? Is Brittni hurt? It's driving me crazy. I start pushing fifty on a forty mile an hour road, hoping to god I don't get stopped by a cop.

Cop. I need to call the police! I go to pull out my phone, only now realizing I left it on the table where I picked up my keys.

Banging my hand against the wheel, I curse at myself for being so stupid, my leg threatening to push harder on the gas pedal. What seems like days which was really only minutes, I'm pulling up to Brittni's house. Her mothers car is in the driveway and I almost let out a breath of relief, but then I notice a vehicle I haven't seen before.

If that's Nathan.

I open my car door, the cold night air having no effect on me as I burst through their front door. I try to stay calm even after seeing the distraught look of the place. Pillows thrown, glass broken, couches and tables flipped.

"Brittni?" I call out, walking through the living room and into the kitchen. It's even worse in here, everything is out of order. Stools fallen, plates broken, cutting knives on the ground.

I start to get a sick feeling about this. I know he's here, I can tell. No one else would come into this house and completely turn it upside down.

For a second I curse Brittni for going out with this guy, leading him here, but the thought of her getting hurt has me clenching my fists.

Moving out of the kitchen, the entire house eerily quiet, I head up the stairs. This is where I found Brittni last time, I just hope I'm not to late. Trying to avoid any creaking as I head up the stairs, I go slow. Step by step, breath in and breath out. It seems like the closer I get to her room, the more my eery feelings increase.

Her door is shut, this sets warning bells off in my head, but I could care less. Turning the nob and pushing the door open, I first notice Brittni. She has a piece of cloth around her mouth and something constricting her hands behind her back.

When she notices me, her eyes go wild. I had thought it was because someone is finally here, but when I take a step into the room she begins to shake her head furiously, words that are jumbled and muffled by the cloth are trying to be said, but I don't care. I'm not leaving without her.

"It's okay," I tell her, taking even more steps. She begins to cry, still shaking her head. "Everything will be fine, I'm going to get you out-"

"I don't think so." I jerk my body around to see Nathan leaning against the now closed door, a sick smirk covering his lips. "No ones going to be leaving here anytime soon."

I growl. "You sick sonofabitch."

He chuckles, pulling out a pocket knife. Nice. This day just keeps getting better and better.

"You just keep getting in the way, Jackson," he shakes his head mockingly. "If you would've just let me have her-"

"That'll never fucking happen," I growl, my stance ready to fight. "You're crazy if you think it will."

"I already am crazy," he cackles. "Was put into a mental hospital two years ago, got released two months before I met Brittni."

Well, that makes sense.

"They said I had major BiPolar disorder," he cocks his head to the side. "Maybe they were right, but I don't care. I get what I want, and right now, that's Brittni."

"Guess you'll have to go through me first," I crack my knuckles. "I beat your ass twice, I'm sure I can do it a third time."

I'm a bit apprehensive about that knife in his hands, but I've practically mastered the art of disarming people. I've never been more thankful I learned all of this stuff than now.

"You really want to do that?" He frowns, and I growl. "Miss Joshie needs medical attention it looks like."

My head snaps over to where Brittni's mother lays in a puddle of her own blood. I can see her chest moving slightly, but there's an injury to the head and there must be a cut somewhere. I don't know how long she can go without help.

I go to turn back around, but Nathan seems to have other plans. He shoves me into the wall, my breath being knocked out of my from the force. His forearm presses against my throat, a sickly smile stretching across his lips.

This is the first time I've actually seen the crazy swimming around in his eyes. It's like a disease. The way his pupils are dilated even in the dim light of the room, and the dark bags under them are a clear indication that he must've not taken his meds.

"Listen here," he whispers in my face, spitting slightly. "I'm done running games. I'm going to have my way with Brittni whether you like it or-"

The anger consumes me as I use all my strength to push the guy away, his body stumbling into the desk, breaking it in the meantime. He looks up at me from his spot on the floor, another smirk crossing his face.

This guy really needs help. And where in the hell is a phone?

"Bad idea," he mumbles, heaving himself off of the floor. Even with that in progress I would've never expected him to ram his body into mine, spearing me into the wall once again. I feel the dry wall cracking under my body. It's hard to breathe again. "You're not the only one that can fight, Long."

I groan, trying not to focus on the pain coming from my ribs. They could be cracked, but this is no time to find out.

"I got kicked out of my elementary school for cracking a kids head on the pavement. Of course, no one would've thought a sweet little boy purposely did it," he chuckles. "I still got expelled. Should've sent me to Juvie, and then prison."

No kidding.

I see him retract his pocket knife again, his eyes on me.

Get up, Jackson! Get the fuck up!

As he's about to bring the knife to my face, I grab his hand. I see his eyes widen for a millisecond before their screwed shut as I twist his limb as hard as I can. The cracking is the only thing I hear as I finally let go, my breathing even harder now.

He screams in agony, backing up as he holds his now screwed up wrist. Then, his eyes snap to mine, crazy and anger flaring out of them.

With my eyes still on his, I get up slowly, my ribs hurting even worse.

"You're dead." He screams, charging at me, but even with the pain in my abdomen, I move out of the way, grabbing his hair forcing his head back and into the wall. Over and over again I keep doing the same thing until finally, his eyes roll into the back of his head.

Blood drips from his nose and mouth, but he seems dead asleep. With a groan in pain, I make myself move to Brittni who has tears staining her beautiful face.

I remove the cloth first and then the rope. When those are done, she jumps into my arms, crying into my shoulder.

"I-I'm so sorry," she sobs, her body shaking. I can't even be mad at her right now. I don't have it in me.

"We need to call the police," I mutter, kissing her forehead. I walk out of her bedroom door, trying to ignore the pain in my abdomen before finding a homeline in her moms.

I call them, telling them to hurry.

Brittni's POV.

I don't know Jackson's feelings right now, but I know he's hurt physically. When I got home after the fight with him, I definitely wasn't expecting anyone to be there. I had just gone up to my room when my mom ran in, her eyes wild. Then Nathan burst through the door, a sick smile on his face.

I shake my head, trying not to let anymore tears fall as I crawl over to my mother. Choking on a sob I press my fingers to the pulse in her neck, her heartbeats there, but barely.

Jackson makes his way into the room minutes later, his face pale and emotionless.

And for once since this years started, I feel safe when the cops show up. They take Nathan away, questioning both jackson and I before they explain what's going to happen. They'll let him rest in the hospital for a few days to recover from the injuries inflicted by Jackson, and then he'll go to a mental institute.

My mother is also escorted to the hospital, they said she should be just fine. Jackson has nothing too wrong with him, just some bruising around the ribs, but he should be fine in a few days.

I cry in his arms, finally feeling free of anything bad. Nathan's gone, and he won't be back. No one will ever know about this besides Jackson, Brinley and me. Adam may find out, but I don't care.

It's over.
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So this probably sucks, but it's whatever :) there will be an epilogue posted tonight and I decided that I will post some bonus chapter at the end so that I don't have to make any more books about them! If you have any requests feel free to ask me!

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