[Alex's POV - Continuing Assumptions ]

"What did you do?" Jasper asks me after Jessy has run off after Otto. His question startles me. I knew that Anthony and Xander were happily assuming that Otto had gotten angry over a simple joke. But I should have known that Jasper had caught on to what was really happening.

"Nothing!" I say defensively and then doubt. "Well, not really."

Jasper raises a questioning brow at me, but I feel reluctant to answer. Wasn't this an extremely personal topic? Well, maybe not to me, but to Otto. Then again, Jasper was her close friend. They had been so for years. Maybe I should tell him?

"Does the name Thomas mean anything to you?" I ask. Jasper instantly looks worried, but glances at Anthony and Xander and immediately schools his expression into a mildly interested and calm expression.

"It does, but how do you know it?"

I also glance towards Anthony and Xander, who are clearly following our conversation even though they are acting uninterested. How much can I say without saying too much?

"I bumped into him and Otto yesterday," I say.

"Yesterday? You mean on your way home after I gave you a tour of the school?" Jasper asks, sounding surprised.

"Yeah," I say and sigh a breath of relief when the school bell rings, signalling the start of our first period. Jasper and I start walking to class together. Anthony and Xander follow a few steps behind us.

"You mean you saw them together?" Jasper asks quiet enough so the others won't hear.

"That's a mild way to put it, but yes. Is it a commonly known thing then?"

Jasper chuckles before answering.

"No, it is not. But about seventy percent of our class has a vague idea of what's happening."

"You make me feel so special," I sneer. "So you're telling me that you knew Otto was being bullied, bordering on sexual harassment, and did nothing about it?"

"S-sexual harassment?!" Jasper squeaks out the word in surprise, still trying to be mindful of the people around us. "Aren't you exaggerating?"

I lightly shake my head.

"She was positively shaking by the time Thomas left. Tears in her eyes and everything."

"What the hell did you catch them doing?!" Jasper asks, nearly screaming the question, his calm mask completely fallen off.

" 'What' you ask? I don't know,... It looked like they were talking, except for the fact that he was holding her wrist and she was pushed against a tree. At first, I thought they were really close, but then-"

"Did you catch what they were talking about?" Jasper interrupts.

"What they were talking about?" I echo the question as I think back on the one thing that I had been pushing out of my mind since last night. "Me. They were talking about me."

Jasper sighs.

"I was afraid you'd say that. Poor Otto. This explains why she was so affected too."

"What's happening here?" I ask. The longer we talk, the more confusing it seems to get. This time, Jasper looks reluctant to answer. It is clear that he's wondering if Jessy and Otto would skin him alive if he talks.

"I guess you deserve to know. Since you are the one in danger," he mumbles after a long pause.

"Me? How am I the one in danger?"

"Thomas and Otto used to be REALLY close friends. Everyone thought they would become a couple, but when he finally confessed to her, she turned him down. Thomas has been acting like a crazy-jealous-wannabe-boyfriend ever since, isolating Otto from anyone who gets too close." Jasper explains. "Who knows what he'll do when he actually feels threatened?"

"Good to know," I mumble as I let the new information seep in.

"You don't seem very concerned. He has a black belt in judo, you know?"

I scoff.

"As long as he doesn't have a gun, I'll be fine." And honestly, I'm pretty sure that I'll be fine even if he does threaten me with a gun, but I don't want to seem like a haughty fool.

"Oh, ho, ho! Look who's feeling confident?" Jasper laughs. "I don't think Thomas will think that highly of you, though."

"That's fine. The advantage will be mine that way."

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

----------------------------------------

[This chapter loops back in time to right after Jessy left the scene, but from Otto's POV]

I run into the first empty booth I find, lock the door, close the lid of the toilet, sit on it and hug my knees to my chest.

Oh, how I wish I could vanish straight into thin air. I let out a long sigh.

Stupid Alex! Stupid Thomas! This is all their fault!

I groan in frustration. What happened earlier, made me feel like I'm the odd one out, always standing on thin ice. Like I don't fit in anywhere. I know that it is a bad habit of mine to feel this way when things go wrong, but I just can't help it. I know that it is all in my head, yet I'm constantly afraid that it might not be.

I also know that the only way to get rid of this feeling, is to face my fears head on. To hear from others that I didn't offend them. That they like to have me around. Yet, the thought that they might reject me, that I really might be an outcast, scares me to the point of feeling nauseous.

Come to think of it, I had stood my ground rather well against Thomas. I had even managed to evade answering his questions. Until Alex came along... I should have feigned ignorance. Even acting as if I didn't know him would have been better than straight out panicking. But I just couldn't when I saw the worry and confusion in his eyes.

The first bell rings, the first warning that today's lessons are about to start.

I sigh one last time before I get up and reluctantly open the door, just to find Jessy waiting for me on the other side of it. She doesn't look too pleased. She's leaning against the wall, arms crossed and brows furrowed angrily.

"Start talking," she orders, ignoring the last students that are leaving the toilets.

"There is nothing to say. Just me chickening out of society, that's all," I say as I avoid her eyes.

"Oh, no you don't! You are not getting off the hook that easily!" Jessy says angrily. "What was that between you and Alex?Because I swear to God, if he did anything to hurt you..."

I laugh. Her unconditional love and loyalty towards me instantly obliterated my anxiety. It is the only thing that's kept me sane over the years.

"No Jessy," I giggle and offer her a warm smile. "Jeez, you're even more overprotective than my dad!"

"Then what?" her angry frown simmers down into a confused one. "Don't tell me you were actually offended by his joke?"

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure he wasn't exactly joking," I say slowly as I organize my thoughts.

"Go on?" Jessy urges me to continue.

"Ugh, I don't even know where to start... It's a long story ok?"

"Ha! You met the guy yesterday! How long could it possibly be?" Jessy laughs as the second bell rings. "But give me the short version anyway. Or we're going to be late."

I nod and we start walking at a fast pace.

"Alex found me yesterday after school while I was being cornered by Thomas." I see Jessy's eyes grow large with worry, but before she can ask a question, I continue: "Alex helped me to chase him off. Nothing happened with Thomas. But I got into an argument with Alex."

"An argument?" she asks incredulously. "About what?"

"I don't know... Somehow he figured out exactly what was going on with Thomas... and then he told me that it would be better to fight Thomas head on."

"Wowa! Wait, what?! Where did that come from? And how did he figure everything out? Did you tell him?" Jessy interrupts me.

"Of course I didn't tell him. I don't even like the guy!" I snap and startle at my own reaction, but Jessy seems to agree.

"Yeah, I'm starting to get why you dislike the guy now. Even if he figured out what was going on, telling you to fight Thomas head on is just plain suicide. Promise me you won't," she asks as she looks at me with begging eyes. I nod with a chuckle, but stop walking as we've arrived at the classroom. I can see Alex and Jasper inside.

"Ok, I want to hear more about this argument, but I'm afraid that it will have to wait until after class," Jessy says and then notices my expression. "Just ignore them. I'm with you."