Four Years Later...[James/Ash/Luke]

Luke frowned. "Who...is that?"

Aaez. says:
"That's him. The asshole I was dating. I can't believe. It's only been three days and he's already dating some dowdy redhaid whore." Tiffany exclaimed, "This is so stupid."

Luke froze, exhaling. He suddenly felt somehow pleased. "Um...well, yeah, he was an ass anyways. We should...hey," he gave her a disarming grin. "Wanna go over there and talk to him? You know, let him know how you are since you dumped him? Just so we uh...help that chick out?"

Aaez:

"Yeah maybe later. Right now. You me. Dance. Sexy time. Get up. I won't tell him. I'll show him how awesome I am" She got up and pulled Luke up as well, "Natasha...we'll be right back."

She pulled Luke towards the dance-floor as an upbeat song started to play.

"Perfect, now all we need to do is move closer to there table so that they notice us."

Luke grinned and followed Tiffany.

James leaned against the railing and looked down at his phone waiting, waiting for it to ring, vibrate or whatever. Any sign to know that Evelyn had known that he had come into town and that they were going to see each other for her birthday.

He sighed and slid his phone into his pocket, he looked inside his hotel room to see Dante carefully stepping over party goers in attempt not to break any of their ribs, James smiled as Dante opened the door the balcony joining him outside.

"Some party huh?" Dante asked.
"You bet." James grinned.

Dante laughed, "Yeah man, it was off the chain."
James snorted, "Yeah it really was." He looked out at the shop below and back at Dante, "Hey I didn't...did I?"

Dante shook his head, "Naw man, all you did was get trashed last night and talk about Ev, most of the girls got pissed and left. I must admit even when drunk you remained faithful that's tough man."

James snickered, "Wow, yeah if you knew me back in high school it was a different story."

James felt his phone vibrate and he took it out of his pocket, his hopes fell when he saw that he had forgotten to turn off his alarm, James sighed and turned it off looking distractedly at it.

Dante sighed, "Ay man don't worry she'll call."

"Huh? I know I'm trying not to be so I don't know annoying I can't think of the word, but I figured were both here and I would love to see her since its her birthday this weekend and maybe she's at work cause shes here on business but she would have called or said something and I don't know if I should be like worrying at all."

Dante leaned against the railing, "Don't worry about her man, she's probably just caught up with work like you said she'll call you back."

James nodded and put his phone back in his pocket, "You're right, so what happened I mean you have better memory then I do when I'm drunk."

Dante laughed, "Well you and I had a shot drinking contest, you lost horribly, you danced on the table with Sam, and there was this one girl you were with the whole night."

James arched an eyebrow, "Who?"

"Um... she stayed the night too, she came in around 2 A.M. and you were both kind of trashed but you remembered each other, her name was ... Amy I think? She came with her two friends Cassie, and Chloe. Yeah you and Amy talked and danced the whole night and you guys were telling each other stories and laughing. And you both kept shouting, "He/she's my best friend!" and hugging." Dante recapped the whole night for him.

James thought for a moment, "Amy?"

Dante shrugged, "No not Amy, but it was a girl and her name started with an "A"."

***

I fly like paper get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas
in my name...

Ashlee reached for her phone and turned it off as she heard several people around her groan, "Damn it!" She whispered to herself.

Her head still spinning from the night before, she looked down and saw that she was still in her clothes from the night before and let out a sigh of relief but some part of her was still scared because she had no clue where she was.

Well actually she could deduct the fact that she was in a hotel where a huge party had happened she looked to her left and saw Chloe still sleeping and Cassie sleeping to her right, apparently they had gotten themselves into some swanky party after hitting the club last night.

Ashlee stood up carefully and walked over people stepping ocassionally on a person, she walked to the balcony where she saw two boys talking to each other, that she faintly remembered from the night before.

She opened the glass door quietly and Dante turned around, "There that's her!"

James turned and his mouth fell, "Ashlee?!"

Ashlee's eyes widened, "James?!"

"Ashlee!" Dante remembered, "That was her name dawg Ashlee!"

"Okay, know what, whatever sick game you have planned, I don't wanna play!" Evelyn flipped her phone closed and leaped to her feet, spotting her heels and stepping into them. When she turned around, Ryan was watching her with a mysterious grin on his face. Evelyn swallowed.

"You repulse me," she spat, turning and making her way out to the nearest bathroom. She looked into the mirror, noting that, oddly enough, there was a slight reddish imprint on her cheek. She must have slept on her own hand or something. She shrugged it off, and hastily cleaned her face off. For some weird reason, her eyes were red-rimmed. She couldn't recall crying...what was going on?

The stab of doubt continued as the walked into the main lounge and saw no one. Evelyn gulped, now truly apprehensive, and grabbed her bag from the couch, darting out of the house and hailing a cab. She was soon at her own place, and collapsed on her couch, Ryan's mockingly-mysterious grin...of satisfaction...runnning in her mind. Evelyn bit her lower lip, closing her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks again. What was Ryan up to?

Why me...?

James arched an eyebrow at Dante, "Thank you Dante."

Ashlee stood wide eyed, "When did you come into town Dorkosaur?"

James grinned, "Last night."

They both hugged each other and Ashlee pulled away, "Wow Mr. Big Basketball star! How does it feel?" Ashlee punched him playfully in the shoulder.

James laughed, "Its different alright, I got mauled at the airport, and well yeah its crazy at times but I love it, how have you been?"

"I've been alright I'll be finishing school in a few months so I'm really excited about that." Ashlee smiled.

"Good for you Ash, so have you found anyone since the whole you know?" James aked.

Ashlee shook her head, "Nah I'm not looking, I'm just enjoying myself you know? I mean I spent so much time worrying about a guy or still thinking about one that I never had time to just have fun and be single and hang out with my friends you know."

James nodded, "I hear you, so how did you and your friends end up here?"

Ashlee shrugged, "I honestly don't know, I just know we were at the club and I woke up here."

James laughed, "That's great, so have you heard from Ev?"

Ashlee shook her head in disbelief, "No! I didn't even know she was in town, I know her birthday is this weekend if she's here we should all defintley do something have you talked to her?"

"No, I mean I called her last night and texted her like an hour ago but she never answered I think she's at work." James stated.

Ashlee nodded, "You're probably right, but yeah dude I give you and Ev a lot of props, long distance relationships are tough. Obviously you two are trying hard to make it work but I'm sure she'll be thrilled when she finds out if your're here!" Ashlee chirped.

James smiled, "Yeah thats if she ever answers my call!"

Something was wrong, Evelyn figured. Why was the house so eerily silent? Normally, her home phone would be humming with messages, her cell would be ringing with cases...

Evelyn pulled out her phone, and blinked, blanching.

"Oh God...no...I'm going to kill him..."

Her cell's sim card was missing. She knew instantly who had taken it. And it meant that as of right now, Ran had access to all her contacts saved on their and had full control of her number. And anyone calling her too.

Evelyn got slowly to her feet, wandering into the bedroom. She hit the play on the answering machine.

"No new messages..." came the mechanical voice. Evelyn sighed. She was getting too paranoid.

Ashlee shrugged, "Hmm you're right maybe she's at work. Hey! I have an idea lets call her apartment and leave her a message."

James laughed, "Dude she never checks it."

"Pfftt well today she will come on do you have her apartment number?" Ashlee asked.

James snickered, "Yeah but you call and put it on speaker."

Ashlee nodded, she took out her phone and called Evelyn's apartment she heard the beep go off and put her phone on speaker, "HEY GIRL HEY!" She shouted.

James laughed, "Hey Ev."

Ashlee went on, "Anyhoo its me Ash if you haven't figured it out and your lovely man friend Jamesy."

James laughed, "Hi EVIEEEE!"

Ashlee giggled, "Anyhoo I heard you're in town and you never called us!"

James mocked a gasp, "My own girlfriend forgot to call me! Le gasp! Yeah no clue why were calling your house phone, but I'm in town and I really want to see you and you're not answeing your phone so CALL ME!"

Ashlee laughed, "And me! So we can hang out!"

"Love you Ev bye!" They said in unison hanging up the phone.

Dante chuckled, "Y'all is crazy."

Evelyn slumped down on her couch, pulling her legs up beneath her. What had she done the night before? She wasn't an insane drunk, she knew that. Then why...what coul Ryan have meant?

Evelyn closed her eyes and let her head drop down on the arm of the cushion. She felt oddly tired. Her mind must have overworked itself.

"You're kinda clingy when you're drunk..."Ryan's voice taunted her. Evelyn jerked awake with a stifled gasp. Was he just paying with her again? Why?

"Oh, God, leave me alone," she murmured into her arms.

Ashlee sighed, "So what are we gonna do?"

"I'll tell you what were gonna do, were gonna get rid of all these people!" James announced.

Dante laughed, "And how do you think were going to do that?"

Ashlee smirked, "Leave that to me."

"Uh oh." James grinned, following Ashlee back into the hotel room, she walked around and found a vase and used her phone to bang against it. The metal making a clunking sound as people groaned and awoke from their drunken slumber.

"Alright! Now y'all don't have to go home, but you have to get the hell out of here!" She shouted obnoxiously. People got up and started looking for their things Dante laughed opening the doors to the suite showing everyone out.

After about ten minutes the place had cleared out except for Cassie, Chloe, Ash, Dante, and Sam.

James hugged Ashlee, "Thank you for that."

"No problem." Ashlee grinned.

Cassie and Chloe stood together staring in awe at James and Ashlee grinned, "Where are my manners, James this is Chloe Sullivan." She pointed to the girl with auburn hair, "And this is Cassie Smith." She pointed to the girl with chestnut hair, "Girls this is my best friend James Darko."

"Hi girls." James smiled shaking their hands.

"Damn it!" Chloe shouted reaching into her wallet and pulling out money.

"SCORE!" Ashlee cheered.

"Stupid girl was right she does know!" Chloe muttered fustrated handing over fifty dollars to Ashlee who pockted her win and did a little victory dance.

James laughed, "Wow Ash, some friend you're using me now to win bets."

"Well if you won games then I could bet on you're playing not just my relation to you." Ashlee poked her tounge out at him.

"Ooh burn." Dante laughed.

James laughed sarcastically, "Ha ha, very funny Ash."

Ashlee giggled, "Well were gonna go, but call me later and maybe we can find Ev and we'll do something alright?" Ashlee asked heading out the door with her friends eyes still glued on James.

"Alright! See ya Ash!" James waved.

"Peace out!" Ashlee waved to him as did Chloe and Cassie. The three of them walked out of the hotel room leaving James alone with Dante and Sam.

Dante sat on the couch and Sam streched, "Well last night was fun wasn't it?"

"Hell yeah." Dante exclaimed.

James laughed, "Yeah it was thanks guys it was defintley a suprise." He took out his phone and looked down at the time seeing that it was nearly noon Evelyn had to be taking some sort of break for lunch by now so he figured no better time to call then now, he went to his contacts and found her name and put his phone to his ear listening to the dial tone.

Ryan smiled to himself as James' name flashed across the screen of his phone. Phone with Evelyn's SIM card. Ryan smirked and hit the answer key.

"Hey, Darko. Kind of a bad moment to call...how can I help you?" he asked, stifling a fake yawn.

James almost dropped his phone, he could hear the smug tone in Ryan's voice on the other line. He caught his yawn and looked over to the guys who were chatting amongst themselves and excused himself out to the balcony.

He closed the door and asked, "What the hell do you think you're doing Ryan? So help me you did anything to Evelyn and I'll murder you."

"Relax," Ryan muttered easily, stifling another fake yawn. She's asleep." He grinned devilishly. Wonder what he makes of that.

James wanted to throw his phone over the side of the hotel because he refused to believe what he was hearing, he knew Ryan was no good and that Evelyn would never agree on her own will to do something like that.

He clenched his fist onto the rail and held his phone tight, "You're sick! I can't believe you would drug her! I'm going to find you Ryan and when I do I'm gonna re-arrange your face! I'm not stupid never in a million years would Evelyn ever agree to sleeping with you, let alone being in the same city as you."

Ryan stifled a laugh. "Dude, relax, she wasn't doped, I promise you. How about I tell you what she wore last night? Would that help?"

James was about to lose it right now, he could feel the anger burning through him he looked down at his knuckles which were turning white from clenching on to the railing too hard, he let out a long breath and responded cooly, "If you're with Ev then wake her up I want to talk to her, don't give me any of that crap that she's sleeping either."

Ryan laughed. "No, I don't think she wants to talk to you, actually. She's a bit pissed at the moment...well, she was last night."

"Please Ryan enlighten me, why wouldn't my own girlfriend want to talk to me? I've done nothing to upset her so unles you have a reason, which you don't, of why Evelyn doesn't want to talk to me unless you've tied her up I suggest you put her on the phone." James responded icily.

"Becausde," Ryan said softly, "you were never here...did you know she's suddenly being forced into fighting a case FOR her own bitch of a stepmom? No one was around to hold her then...well, wait, at least...you weren't..." He laughed. "Jamesy boy, girls need someone to be there, you know? This whole long distance ting...wore her out."

James' eyes widned, he didn't know whether to feel hurt or disgusted, he was just a wave of mixed emotions and he didn't know who or what to believe, he swallowed hard his throat dry.

"Let me talk to her." His voice was raspy now, "Put her on the phone Ryan I don't believe it, you're lying."

Ryan paused, considering. "Fine." He held the phone away and gave the angry Evelyn standing in the doorway of the guestroom a smug grin. "Hey, I do believe someone wants to talk to you."

"Ryan, I'm not in the mood," she bit out, resisting the urge to take her sharp heels off and throw them at the blond guy. "Games later."

Ryan shrugged. "Fine, babe." He turned back to the phone. "No doubt you heard that, huh? That enough proof?"

James paled, for once that stupid bastard was right and now he stood here on the balcony unsure of what to do with himself, he knew if he jumped right now that it would be over all of this pain and torment but he wasn't that crazy nor desperate.

He was speechless and couldn't think of anything to say to Ryan and he heard it from Evelyn's mouth that she didn't even want to speak to him. He sighed sadly, "Tell her to call me back..." He responded dully hanging up his phone.

"Who was that?" Evelyn asked, doubtfully. Ryan grinned. "Yor mom, um...stepmom...she wanted to discuss the case...told her to call back later."

Evelyn exhaled. "Ryan, give me my damned SIM card. I've head enough games, okay?" Her voice came out weak adn she flinched, swallowing. Ryan's smile widened, adn Evelyn felt her insides sink. She suddenly felt so alone. Cathy wasn't around. She'd left to hang with Drake. Evelyn wondered briefly if she should call Ashlee, but she couldn't recall her cell number without her SIM card. And she...pay-phone? But her phone wouldn't turn out without a SIM card. She couldn't look up Ashlee's number.

Phone book? Unless Ashlee was unlisted...?

Evelyn took a deep breath. "Ryan, you're not winning this game...give me my SIM card."

Ryan smiled. "Please, Ev. You're te one that lost...a lot more than you know."

Evelyn's eyes widened. "Wha...what?"

Ryan smiled. "Never mind" He walked past Evelyn and headed for the bathroom. Evelyn took a moment to calm herself and followed.

"Ryan..." her voice faltered as she saw him flush her SIM card down the toilet. He raised a smug eyebrow.

"Yes, babe?"

Evelyn snapped. She stepped forward, swung her hand back, and slapped Ryan as hard as she could. Tears rose in her eyes and she turned around and fled, feeling herself break down in the cab ride home.