Freshmen Dorms

"You heard them Red, hurry the hell up!" Jake said now climbing faster, but maintain a little distance so she really couldn't kick him in the face.

"I am climbing, Salazar!" Evelyn snapped. She reached the top and one of the firemen grabbed her arm to pull her inside. Evelyn failed to cover Nova's panicked barking.

"So there is a dog," one of the guys there said, sending James a funny look as his fellows stepped aside to let Jake up. Evelyn wobbled once she was on solid ground and then stumbled over to the wall across from the elevator and walked a little ways away, sliding down it to sit on the ground with her legs stretched out. Nova poked his head out and gave a soft whine, eyes wide. Evelyn closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, scratching his head with one hand.

Firm ground. Oh my God, I'm never taking that lift. Even if they fix it!

James grinned sheepishly and then edged himself away from the action. Just then Jacob hopped himself over the edge, and stood on firm ground.

He took off the backpack from his shoulder and handed it to James, he wasn't sure which floor they were on but he hadn't really recognized the people on this one. He took out his phone and realized he had been two hours late to his shift and was debating whether or not showing up at all. Then he just texted his boss and told him he wasn't coming in, and put his phone on silent so he wouldn't hear his phone vibrate and be tempted to reply back.

As he got up and walked a bit he noticed Evelyn sitting against the wall and she looked real relieved to be on solid ground, he had a remark lined up for her but didn't feel like delivering it, instead he decided to go find Seth.

James took his backpack and figured he should go find Luke and as he left he looked down at Evelyn, he wasn't sure whether he should say anything or not but he figured he'd ask, "You gonna be okay?" He asked before leaving, his blue eyes focused on the wall behind her.

"Yep," she replied, opening her eyes, and then paused, taking in the situation. Evelyn suddenly grinned and said, "Hey, can I borrow your phone? I need to text Ash. Mine died down there."

"Yo, kids," one of the firemen called to the three of them. "We might need a statement from ya if someone sues."

Seth and Luke were dispersed along with the rest of the crowd in the lobby. "Nothin' to see here kids," a fireman said. "We got 'em all out."

"Who was it?" a girl squealed nearby. The fireman waved a hand and walked off.

Seth blew out a relieved breath and then headed for the lobby doors along with Luke. "I shouldn't laugh," Seth said thoughtfully, a grin on his face, "But - "

"I laughed," Luke confessed to him, forgetting momentarily that he didn't like Seth. "I mean, out of all the people - "

"No, what would have been real fucked up was if it had been Connor in there with Jake and Red," Seth said, smirking. "It'd be blood all over the walls."

Luke couldn't help but laugh, even though he was relieved it hadn't been Connor. "I'm shocked James and Jake didn't kill each other."

Seth suddenly lost a notch of his smile as they crossed the quad. "Um, I don't think Jake is going to be concerning himself with Evelyn any longer," he said. Luke blinked, surprised. Hadn't Ashlee and he been wishing that just recently?

"He, uh, had a major fall-out with her. And he has no beef with James if you take her out of the equation. Good for them, dude," Seth continued.

[[Seth and Luke to class - late but still going to make it]]

James took out his phone and gave it to Evelyn, "Yeah sure go ahead."

Jake turned back, when he heard the firefighter call out and he said, "Yeah what kind of statement do you need?" He'd figure he'd be useful since he took his own personal day from work.

Evelyn was half-listening to Jake's conversation and she flashed James a smile as she took his phone. She found Ashlee's number on his contact list and texted her: U wont belie -

Then she paused and reddened, realizing her messages would be stored in James' Sent folder. "I'll just call her instead," she said sheepishly, getting to her feet and wobbling. She grabbed hold of James' arm and took a moment to ground herself before letting go hastily and stumbling away from him and Jake out of earshot. She leaned against a wall again and dialed Ashlee.

Then remembered Ashlee would almost be in class. It was ten-fifteen, so she had fifteen minutes. "Guess what?" Evelyn said hastily, when Ashlee answered.

"Just to state that you did indeed suffer serious danger here. Might not even be needed but if the press get a hold of this....you know?" the fireman told Jake. He waved a hand. "You're good for now but leave us your contact number with that rep." A woman about mid-thirties walked over with a notepad.

"Hi, hon," she said, smilingly. "Just have your friends fill out their contacts, here, okay?" She handed Jake the notepad and her pen.

The firemen were dispersing the gawking students.

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Ashlee answered her phone and was a bit puzzled by the female voice when she quickly recognized Evelyn's voice on the other end, "Hey you're alive, Luke let me know that's good. But taking that you have James phone, I take it that you two made out or something?" She grinned mischievously.

James had wandered over towards Jake and heard the women talking about suffering serious danger from being trapped in the elevator, although the thing didn't fall to a fiery death, they weren't in serious danger luckily enough, so he just shrugged, "Um okay.. sounds okay?" James said taking the paper and writing his name and number down.

Jake shrugged, he really didn't care he just wrote his name and number down and if he was contacted then he could always say how crappy the thing was and they could get it replaced finally. "Is that it?" Jake asked.

The woman nodded her head toward Evelyn. "Just get hers and yes, then you're free to go."

Evelyn felt her face redden, remembering how close she'd been to actually being forced into kissing James. "No, Ashlee, and I won't be making out with him any time soon," she said patiently, but she was getting a little annoyed by the whole continued pro-James thing EVERYONE seemed to want her to do. From Ashlee, it was expected, but even Alexis was on James' side (albeit still thinking James a douchebag).

Evelyn's mind went back to what Jake had said the day they'd decided to try their crazy secret-fling. He was right. Nobody really wanted that to work. And it hadn't.

Evelyn felt her good humor dim a little. "Anyways," she said quickly, casting an instinctive glance over at the Spaniard before returning her eyes to Nova in her bag. "I'm currently surrounded by several very hot, very buff firemen. They can't be older than twenty-five, I swear."

She heard footsteps near her and looked up to see one of the "hot and buff" firemen standing near her, looking at her with some concern in his gray eyes. "Hey, how're you doing?" he asked her, smiling. "Figured I'd check up on you because you looked a little pale."

Evelyn bit her lip to stifle a grin. "Oh, I'm, yeah...." she said, holding the phone a little away from her ear. "Fear of heights," she admitted meekly. The guy grinned and twin dimples appeared in his cheeks. Evelyn made a note to squeal girlishly later. He handed her a juice bottle.

"Here, take the edge off," he said, grinning. Evelyn knew Ashlee was listening to every word of her conversation. Evelyn took the juice bottle from him and said, "Merci."

"Nice accent," he complimented her. I know, she thought smugly. It's why I used it.

"I'm half-French," she informed him and he crouched down beside her. Evelyn guessed he had to be about twenty.

"I'm Trey," he said, holding out a hand formally. Evelyn juggled James' phone and the bottle, dropped the bottle and shook his hand, a blush spreading over her face.

Way to go, klutz, she fumed at herself. Trey didn't seem to mind. He just seemed amused. "Evelyn," she told him, returning his handshake and pulling back her hand.

Ashlee nearly squealed into the phone because she could hear the cute firefighters voice, over the phone she instead she tried gnawing on her lip to keep from shrieking into Evelyn's ear, damn girl was always getting lucky with all the cute ass boys.

Jake looked over at Evelyn, as did James. Both of them noticed that she was busy chatting it up with the firefighter, immediately both of their eyes darkened, Jake looked back at the woman, "You need her stuff, don't worry we'll handle it." Jake emphasized that knowing that he wasn't going to let this one slide, and judging by how James seemed to tense next to him, he wasn't going to let that happen either.

They both moved away from the woman and Jake leaned in and muttered to James, "Do you wanna handle this one or should I take over?"

"You already had to deal with her, I'll take this one." James said, he looked at Evelyn who was holding his phone and he asked Jake to hand his Blackberry to him. They both had practically identical ones so it would work.

"I'll be right back." James smirked, blue eyes twinkling. He brought his phone to his ear to make it appear as if he was the one on the phone with Evelyn.

As he approached the firefighter and Evelyn, James put a more serious expression on his face and he stopped in front of them gasping, "Oh I see how it is? I tell you I have to work Friday night and you're already making a date with the next guy available. What is with you? I thought you said you wanted to try out our relationship and you wanted to be exclusive! I hear you trying to avoid me while we're on the phone and its because you're busy whoring on another guy."

James looked down at Trey the firefighter, "Don't take it to heart dude, she's a wild one this one, always hopping from one guy to the next. I mean I was surprised she agreed to be exclusive with me, but damn I was wrong, I'm gone for a minute and we both survive near death and how does she thank me? Hitting on you."

Evelyn's heart seemed to stop beating for a second in horror. Oh no, oh no, oh no.

This was none of his damn business! God damn it all!

The fireman looked confused and his eyes darted to Evelyn. She recovered and threw him an equally confused look. "I'm sorry, I have no idea what his problem is," she informed him sweetly, widening her eyes at him. "I have my friend on the phone. Why would I be calling you when you're two feet away, James?" she asked the brunet irritably.

You better run, asshole, she added mentally.

"You told me to call you because you were afraid that your phone broke when the elevator fell and you dropped it! I call you and all of sudden I hear your voice and you're talking to this guy!? Dude take it from a bro run the other way she's trouble." James warned Trey, and trying really hard not to laugh in Evelyn's face.

"I mean she says that now, I bet she even was all cute using that French accent of her's and batting those pretty green eyes up at you. Its how she hooks you and then the minute she sees another guy who catches her eye, its on to the next one. Save yourself the trouble dude." James pat Trey on the shoulder, widening sympathetic blue eyes at him.

Ashlee heard James' voice clear as day on the other line and would have intervened but this all sounded really funny, although she knew the last thing Evelyn was probably finding this was funny.

Jake was trying so hard not to fall to the floor laughing, but he figured he would have a role in this crazy plan of James'

"Besides you heard her and him." James pointed to Jake, who immediately straightened looking all somber and serious, "They were fighting! Its because she pretty much left him for the next good looking guy! He hasn't been the same since."

"Uh," Trey said, looking speechless as he got up.

Evelyn felt her blood boil. And he wonders why I run from him!

She turned to Trey and said politely, "Excuse us," and scrambled to her feet, leaving Nova in her bag.

Trey lifted his hands and walked back to his coworkers. Evelyn waited till he was out of earshot before she grabbed the front of James' shirt and yanked him down to her level.

"What the hell did you do that for?" she spit furiously. "This is none of your , or HIS, business!"

"Evelyn, I have no idea what you're talking about. I was simply warning him about your wild ways, he's a firefighter, a good citizen to the public people of this fair city." Had he really just said "fair city?" James shrugged, "Anyhoo, a firefighter like Lunch Trays there is gonna want himself a good wholesome girl, not one that leaves a trail of heartbreaks behind her. Also that woman needs your information from you. So I needed to interrupt your love fest." James pulled away from Evelyn and took his phone.

"Hey Ash, sorry the cute firefighter went AWOL better luck next time, gotta go my battery is dying." James smirked, hanging up his phone and he pat Evelyn's cheek with his hand, "Better luck next time Evie, I guess he just wasn't your type." James sauntered off texting Jacob.

Pretty much ruined things between her and firefighter , stay there and make sure she doesn't have a chance to fix any damage.


Jake read James' text message and stifled about forty million laughs, and he just replied letting him know that he would take over the reigns in case Evelyn tried to redeem herself in front of him, but by the looks of it it didn't look like he was going to talk to her anytime soon.

Evelyn was so angry right now, her hands were shaking. She bent and picked up her bag, Nova whimpering inside it, and blinked hard to keep her stinging eyes from leaking. She walked over to where Jake stood, clearly waiting for something, she didn't know what.

Evelyn snagged his phone from his hand and turned away, scrolling to his contacts list and finding James' number. Before Jake snatched his phone back, she shoved her bag at him to keep his hands busy, and typed out a text to James:

U just proved half the reason i wana stay the hell away from u. Congrats. Dont ever talk to me again. I dont want anything to do with u, in case i wasnt clear enuf last time.

She turned after sending it to James, and handed Jake's phone back, taking her bag back and saying curtly, "This was none of your business. You told me we weren't going to work, didn't you? I'm not going ti sit around waiting for you."

Jake gaped after her, taking his phone he locked it and shoved it into his pocket , "Hey that wasn't my idea! That was all his to come up there and infiltrate your little flirtation you had going on with the firefighter! I told him to go get you so you can give this chick here your information that's it! I turned away when he pointed at me cause I didn't want to get involved with whatever his stupid stunt was! Talk to whoever the hell you want!" Jake snapped.

True he had put James up to the little stunt, but he was leaving this ordeal unscathed. He was sick of having to be Evelyn projecting all of her damn frustrations about James to him. Also true that he didn't think it would have worked out between them, but at the same time it was gonna bother him for awhile to see her talking to other boys. Because she always made it seemed like she didn't care at all about the persons feelings she had just hurt.

"If you're so god damned pissed at James take it on him, not me!" Jake snapped, turning to leave.

Evelyn saw red. She stalked after Jake and snagged his arm firmly so he wouldn't be able to run. "I wasn't projecting anything on you!" she snapped angrily, tugging at his arm to get him to turn around. "I'm not stupid, that was your phone in his hand because I had his Blackberry! So, yes, forgive me if I'm pissed because you feel like it's okay to sabotage me trying to move on, and yet you don't want me either!" she finished quietly. The firefighters were all packing up and were out of earshot but she still felt like keeping this civil. Evelyn let go of Jake's arm, feeling fed up of his stupid inability to make up his damn mind. She swiped her hand over her eyes to keep them from tearing up in aggravation.

"I didn't think he was taking my damn phone to bug the hell out of you! I don't care move on! Flirt with every damned guy in this fucking city why the fuck would it bother me?! James told me he had to call someone and I assumed it was what the hell he was doing! So I let him since you had his god damned phone! And don't act like I don't want you, because I fucking do! If I didn't want you then it wouldn't piss me the hell off every time you talked to a god damn dude!" Jake yelled, throwing his hands up in frustration.

He didn't care she was quiet, but he was sick of her assuming that he never wanted her to begin with. "Just whatever... you got your wish I'm not gonna bother you okay?" Jake muttered angrily and went to leave for the second time.

Evelyn was momentarily speechless and practically felt the blood drain from her face.

The entire hallway was silent. She knew everyone was staring at them. Including the cute firemen.

For once, she ignored this. Normally, at this point, she would have been too flustered to say anything. She hated being the center of attention, anywhere.

But Jake was so frustrating she couldn't keep her mouth shut! "Well, evidently, it didn't matter, any of it, all because your friends said it didn't," Evelyn said to his back, feeling a horrible lump rise in her throat. She blinked harder, looking away as her eyes blurred.

Great. They're gonna know us on this floor too.

"Oh yeah because you tell me that you can sit there and hold your fucking tongue when someone sits there and makes you out to be like absolute shit?! Someone sits there and tells you that you're pretty much trash! Listen I get that I'm not fucking prize, and I get that my friends are idiots but I'm sure you're sick of all the fucking crap that gets said about you too! But you know what fuck them seriously I don't care! They don't like you, then they can go jump off a bridge for all I care. I fucking care about you and that's all that should matter!" Jake shouted, avoiding all the stares he was getting from everyone in the hall.

"I was stupid! I was so stupid for listening to any of them, for letting any of what they said get to me! And that was my fault! Mine! Not yours, or your friends or James! It was my fault! And I thought what I was doing was for the god damn best but it wasn't! I don't expect you to wait for me! Don't give me another chance if you don't think I don't deserve it! That's fine then you go and talk to every cop, firefighter, garbageman whoever!"

Jake took a deep breath to calm his shot nerves, and all of his stupid emotions battling with the other and silence his stupid beating heart as well, he brought his voice down to a normal tone and looked her in the eyes, " And you just forget about me alright? Its your choice to make now, its no longer mine."

Before Evelyn could even begin to process anything he'd said, she distinctly heard a few girls quietly go "Awwwww."

"That is so cuuuute."

"I knowww!"

Evelyn's cheeks flamed bright red and she closed her eyes for a second, too embarrassed to say anything. Nova whined quietly in her bag.

She took a deep breath, finally able to meet Jake's gaze. She would have suggested they do this elsewhere but knowing Jake, he'd run.

Don't say it, her sanity pleaded. Walk away. It's done with. He's just going to let you down again.

I guess I am going crazy then, Evelyn concluded. She finally managed to whisper a coherent sentence, so quietly, he'd probably barely hear it. "You're such a friggin' idiot, Sal. I'm making a complete fool of myself. If I wanted out, I'd have walked away, wouldn't I?"

Jake felt a small smile tug on his lips, and he did what he wanted to do to Evelyn the moment they were in that elevator together. He picked her up around the waist and kissed her.

Evelyn attempted not to drop Nova in her bag but it was suddenly very hard to focus on anything other than the boy holding her. Her eyes slid closed. She slipped her free arm around Jake's neck, automatically returning his kiss without having to think about it. Her entire head swam and a familiar buzz jarred her stomach, makign her suddenly feel warm all over.

Nova's bag slid lower down her shoulder and Evelyn, not bothering to pull away from Jake, lifted her dangling legs, wrapping them around his waist to stabilize herself and not bring all three of them crashing down.

She didn't hear the wolf-whistling or the click of cameraphones or the giggles. The firemen, amused, walked past them and down the stairs. Trey looked beyond confused as he left.

Jake felt like he had melted into Evelyn, and everything inside of him was buzzing in a good way, he liked the way this always made him feel and he didn't know why he had let himself get talked out of it to begin with.

Although for once, Jake remembered he needed to breathe, and he pulled away from Evelyn to catch his breath, he smiled at her setting her down gently onto the ground, he felt so light headed that he was afraid to walk for a moment.

Before the slightly awkward moment could be prolonged, somebody in the audience suddenly began to applaud. Within minutes, most of the people around them were clapping.

Evelyn dropped her head into her hands, blushing. "Oh, God," she muttered, too dismayed to look up lest she catch anyone's eyes. "Can we please get the hell out of here?"

Jake hadn't realized they had attracted that much of an audience, he smiled for a brief moment and said, "Yeah let's go I guess we're not just popular on the fifth floor anymore." Jake grabbed her hand and led her to the stairwell.