Freshmen Dorms

Evelyn bit her lower lip, watching him stand. Oh great, way to end on a sour note.

"It's ... god, why does this have to be so freaking awkward and - and tense," she mumbled quietly. She wasn't asking a question. She knew exactly why it was like this. She just wanted to ignore that little matter of the truth.

Evelyn got to her feet, looking up at him uncertainly. She really didn't know what to say to make this all okay. But she also didn't want him to leave with things being all strange, because she knew if he left now, it would basically mean they would go on ignoring each other. And that was practical but she hated that idea. By the way her stomach dropped unpleasantly, her mind and body seemed to agree.

Jacob knew why and judging by Evelyn's expression he knew, she knew the same thing.

Things were gonna be awkward, and tense for them until they both moved on from the other. But Jake knew it wouldn't happen overnight. "I dunno, I mean well I do know why things are this way. But like we've said over and over. It won't work, us being more."

Evelyn felt a pang of guilt. That had been her fault. If she could maybe get over the whole demon incident...

She felt her shoulders slump. "I'm sorry. A-and it's unfair to you if I'm not up for what you want us to be. I'm trying to get over the whole thing, I am, and you probably won't believe me but I wish I could ignore the past and I was, am, still hoping it'd work out four us even though I know it's pointless. So I figured I would help you at least - I just figured it was better than giving you some stupid lie about how it was all gonna be okay and p-perfect. Isn't it better for you if we just...end it completely? I mean, I figured," she was babbling, she realized distantly, "that you'd rather I just gave you a clear answer because I don't want to drag you along like Rachel did and it was just, the friends thing dind't work so I thought maybe if we take a further step back and be ac-acquaintances, it'd be better for you, make things easier for you, but obviously it's not." She was getting a little out of breath but she just couldn't bring herself to end things on such an ugly note. Her stomach felt nauseas with anxiety and she hated this tense feeling in the air.

Jake leaned against the wall. He knew this was gonna be hard for her, he saw earlier when he had come up behind Evelyn and hugged her, she had sort of had a panic attack. Jake knew that she knew he wasn't himself because of that demon but what else was he gonna do?

Jacob knew he wanted Evelyn in his life, he knew that he wanted her to be his girlfriend. But that was no longer an option for them. Things had just gotten too bad for that to ever be a possibility again. But acquaintances? Acquaintances hardly spoke or went out of their ways to see the other.

"I uh, I don't expect I don't know. I don't know what to say or do anymore honestly. We never seem to reach a solution and it sucks. Because all we do is keep going in one big circle. I don't wanna end things on a bad note either, but for some reason it just always seems like it happens." Jake spoke after being silent for a few moments.

"So basically nothing we say or do will affect the no-doubt bad ending," Evelyn said, rubbing her hands over her face. She vaguely registered her fingers were shaking - her hands were shaking along with her lower lip and she bit it to get it to stop quivering. "Okay, then what's the point of us even talking?"

"Because we both want to end things on a good note when we know we can't." Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair, what else could they do? No matter what they both were just stuck.

"Why not?" Evelyn snapped abruptly, getting frustrated. "Why can't we just take things simple, maybe, say, go grab coffee once a week, nothing more? That's friendly and we'd be keeping a distance, so it'd be perfect."

"Honestly, I have no problem with that. Its just you I'm worried about." Jake snapped back, that was their only problem. He hated admitting it. But he knew Evelyn too well by now.

Evelyn was momentarily caught off guard. Her eyes widened up at him. "Um, wait, what? What'd I do?"

Jake was momentarily caught of guard staring at Evelyn's eyes, and he shook his head. "Don't widen those green eyes at me! You know very well that we would agree to a truce of some sorts to be friends, and you'd back out the second you saw me coming!"

"I wouldn't," she said weakly, looking down at her feet. "I - I mean, I'd be okay to meet you for coffee." She frowned and then looked back up at him. "What do you want me to do to convince you, sign an agreement?"

Jacob's shoulders slumped. "Really, you gotta be all legal about this?" He joked lightly.

"I-I'm a law student," she said feebly, not sure how the hell to make this situation improve. "Jake..." She paused and hit her lip. How could she really convince him she wasn't going to run?

Evelyn clasped her hands together, watching him across the two feet of distance between them. "You should know I won't run because - well - because...I don't want to cut you out of my life. It's - I couldn't do that because I ... not after the amount of trauma knowing you has heaped on me," she added in a light tone, a smile lingering at the corners of her mouth.

A small smile formed on Jake's lips. "Well you know I couldn't have you being a law abiding citizen. And I have added some excitement to your terribly dull life."

"Excuse me?" Evelyn asked, narrowing her eyes. "I don't call a dislocated shoulder excitement. Forgive me if spending half my life in ER doesn't spike my adrenaline. "

"The ER is my favorite place, well next to rooftops." Jake said, thinking about it for a moment.

Evelyn fell silent for a moment, recalling the incident bugging her. Her cheeks warmed. "I still hate you for that stupid insinuation on the phone to, um, that guy," she burst out, leaning back against the wall behind her to glare up at the giraffe.

"If you don't remember his name, then he was nothin more than a booty call." Jake stated plainly.

"You - you're missing the point!" Evelyn exclaimed, flustered again. She had the crazy urge to hold Jake in a headlock until he realized what exactly was aggravating her and completely making her uncomfortable.

"What point am I missing? Obviously you didn't want to hang out with him again so I did you a favor. If anything you should be thanking me." Jacob said stubbornly.

"I would've blown the thing off myself, you didn't need to act like a douche and - and insinuate something was happening!" Evelyn grumbled.

Jacob shrugged. "Whatever."

Evelyn stared at him. Really? Whatever?! Her hands clenched into fists.

Before she realized it, her already teased temper shot full throttle and her fist swung out, landing on its familiar spot on Jake's jaw. "Whatever this, asshole," she snapped, pulling her hand back and rubbing her aching knuckles. She winced discretely, wondering if his damned jaw was made of stone.

"Um OWW!!" Jacob yelled rubbing his jaw which would no doubt bruise. "Ah geez Red I can't afford to get braces again, so I would like it if you quit punching my teeth in!"

"Poor baby. You'll know better than to "whatever" me next time, won't you?" Evelyn asked smugly, rubbign her reddening knuckles.