Jagged Edge

Abbie's mom drove me home after we were done at the park. What I said, I really meant. I felt something for Adam. I wasn't quite sure that that feeling was, but it was different from how I felt from Jag.

All I knew was that, at that moment, I was mentally, physically, and sexually exhausted. I stumbled up the stairs, still sore from my cuts, and crawled under the covers of Jag's bed. I fell asleep, content with and full of life for one of the first times in my life.

__________

I woke up and felt a warm body next to me. Their arm was across my waist and they were planting little kisses all over my neck and face.

"Not so early in the morning, Adam," I giggled. The person froze. I opened my eyes and rubbed them. The person got off the bed next to me. I wasn't in Adam's house, I was in Jag's. And the person beside me wasn't Adam, either.

Jag turned away from me, clenching and unclenching his jaw while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Jag..." I breathed. I was stupid, so goddamn stupid.

"Roxie, I fucking love you!" he snapped, whipping around to face me. His eyes were glistening with tears. "And you called me Adam. Either you got me confused, or you were out fucking him behind my back, and I'm thinking it's the second one. I can't...I just can't fucking believe this shit!"

I slowly got up from the bed. I knew he was angry, and when anyone got angry with me, I gave in and walked away.

"I'm sorry, seriously sorry Jag." That was all I could murmur as I headed for the door.

"Hold it. Come back here," Jag commanded. I turned around. He jabbed his finger at the bed, so I came and sat down. He pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Calling Adam over here," he hissed. I'd never seen him so angry, but the fact that he was acting like a little innocent angel pissed me off.

"Then you better fucking call Zoe, too!" I yelled. This took him by surprise.

"W-What do you mean?" he asked.

"Don't play dumb with me! I got a call just this morning from you and oh, believe me, I heard everything!" I snarled.

"Ev...Everything?" he whispered.

"Yes, everything. I heard her moaning, you moaning, I heard it all. At least I was smart enough to lock mine before I went out fucking!" I yelled. Jag stopped. He looked at me, then turned to his phone and called Adam and Zoe. They were going to come to the house in about ten minutes since neither of them were that far away.

Jag abruptly got up and walked down the stairs. I followed after him, even going as far as going into the living room with him. I sat down in the armchair, bringing my knees up to my face. I pulled out my phone and texted Abbie, telling her that Jag found out.

"Why?" Jag asked meekly from the loveseat.

"I...I don't know why," I whispered as a reply. He shook his head, still staring straigh ahead. He looked almost haunted.

Adam and Zoe came at the same time, opening the door and walking into the living room. Both of them had the same sheepish look of apprehension that they tried to mask with confusion. They sat down next to each other on the loveseat.

"We all know why we're here," Jag stated, "I cheated on Roxie with Zoe and Roxie cheated on me with Adam. Zoe cheated on Adam with me and Adam cheated on Zoe with Roxie."

I watched their expressions turned ashamed. I felt that way, too.

"The question is," Jag continued, "Will we remain in the couples we are now - me and Roxie, Adam and Zoe - or will we switch off? Everyone in favor of staying the same raise their hand."

I raised my hand at the same time as Jag, Zoe, and Adam.

"Now the question is, why?" Jag asked, looking directly at me.

"I love you Jag. Adam, no offense, but what I had for you was more lust. I needed someone to be there in my time of need and you were. Jag, nothing can compare to what I feel for you," I replied. Jag's emotionless look turned to Adam.

"Adam?"

"I thought I loved Roxie, but like she said, it was lust. I really only love Zoe, and I should've been there for her when she needed me the most instead of deserting her for Roxie. No offense," he said.

"Zoe?" Jag asked, his expression turning to her.

"I really lost myself for a while. I was willing to give myself up to anybody who would take me, and that's what happened. I always felt bad because I loved Adam," Zoe explained.

"Roxie, I love you with every ounce of my soul, but for some reason I felt a devotion to helping Zoe get better. Probably because I didn't help you get better and I should've. I wanted to show you how much I loved you, but somewhere along the lines I got you mixed up with Zoe," Jag said. His words, they sparked something inside me. I was flooded with remorse, sadness, peace, and a load was taked off my shoulders.

"Jag could you somehow forgive me?" I asked.

"I'll always forgive you, Roxie," Jag smiled. Zoe and Adam were whispering together, then stood up hand in hand and waved goodbye. Jag got up and took me in his arms.

"I love you," I whispered. He responded by gently connecting our lips. He pulled away and gazed into my eyes. He still looked like he was broken.

"Jag? Are you okay?" I asked. Then I remembered how beat up I was when I found out Jag was cheating, too. "Nevermind. I know how you feel."

"Roxanne Fischer, you are my life. I never want that to happen again," he whispered.

"Me either," I said, burying my face in his chest. We stood there for what felt like a long time, but I'm sure it was only a few passing moments.

This is where I was happiest. Not in Adam's arms, but in Jag's. This is where I belonged. It was like his arms were made to hold me, his hands made to hold mine, his heart made to love mine. My body was the same way.

No matter how much I convinced myself that I almost loved Adam, I know I really didn't...and couldn't. Jag would always be there, on the back of my mind gnawing at my concience.

"I belong with you, Roxie," Jag murmured into my hair.

"You just read my thoughts," I smiled in disbelief.

"Y'know what? We need to have a part to commemorate this important event. And everyone could get to know Eva better, too. We have plenty of music and food," Jag suggested.

"That sounds like an amazing idea! I think everyone could use a little pick-me-up after all this shit's been going down," I agreed.

"Can you set up while I call everyone?" Jag asked me. I nodded, then got started. First, I got out all the bags of chips we had and big bowls and set them on the counter. We didn't really need them right now, so there was no need to open them. Then I grabbed a few liters of pop and added them to the food pile. I pushed the furniture in the living room to the walls and dragged in a table. I set up the stereo and hooked it up with my iPod.

Then I went on a search for a bunch of paper. I found that, along with markers, and made a banner to hang up. I stapled the paper together, then wrote on it with the markers I found. It proudly declared: "THE GETTING BACK TOGETHER AND THE MEET EVA PARTY!" and then underneath it in smaller letters: "WOOHOO!"

I hung it up so that you could see it right when you walked in the door and wondered where the hell Jag was at.

I also started cutting up some paper and then making them into little circles. I made a bunch of cool streamers like that. I piled a bunch of shit up and balanced percariously on it to hang up the strands. All the strands started in certain places on the ceiling and met in the middle, making it look kinda like a big white and blue snowflake hanging from the ceiling.

I climbed up the stairs to Jag's room and rummaged around in his closet for a disco ball. I found one that lit up with multi-colors and set that up downstairs. It looked pretty sweet, if I do say so myself

I heard Jag on the stairs, then heard a series of loud thumps. I ran over. Those thumps didn't sound good. I found Jag laying on the floor on his back, looking dazed.

"Fucking ow!" he exclaimed, looking up at me. I snickered a little bit, then bent down next to him. I kissed him on the lips.

"Any better?" I asked.

"It's all fixed," he smiled. He sounded like a little kid. It was cute.

"You gotta come check out the decorations I made while you were fuckin' around upstairs!" I exclaimed. I led Jag around pointing out the decorations I made and if I didn't make them, where I found them.

"So, how's it looking?" I asked.

"It looks perfect. Not as perfect as you, though," he smiled.

"I missed you." I said, then hugged him.

"I missed you, too, Roxie."