The Best Mistake

"Guys, this is Jas," I said, introducing her once we got to Kat's house and made it into the backyard. "Jas, this is Jenn, Taylor and Kat." I pointed to each of them as I spoke. There was a chorus of greetings as I took a seat on one of the chairs sitting by the pool. Jas took the chair on the opposite end of me, next to Kat.

"Do you live in a cave or something? Because I don't think I've ever seen you around, at all," Kat said, giving Jas a confused look.

Jas laughed. "I don't really get out that much. My parents have home schooled me since the fourth grade and my boyfriends pretty protective and usually doesn't allow me to go places without him or his best friend," she explained.

Taylor made a face. "That doesn't sound very fun," she said.

"Oh! No, I didn't really mean it like that. He's not possessive or anything," she said. "I actually don't live far from Ashlyn at all, but my boyfriend thinks it's a dangerous place. So he prefers me not just wandering around, you know?" Taylor nodded.

"Yeah, Ashlyn's neighborhood does seem to get a little dangerous at some times," Taylor agreed.

"Oh my gosh!" Jenn suddenly exclaimed, causing all of us to jump.

"Okay, Jenn; what the hell?" I asked. I had taken my shirt and shorts off and was just listening to their conversation, trying to peacefully tan. But I forgot that peaceful didn't exist with Jenn around.

"You're that girl that's always with Nash Carter and that other guy!" Jenn said, pointing at Jas accusingly.

Jas laughed once again. "'That other guy' is my boyfriend, Levi. And Nash is Levi's best friend," she explained.

"Well, isn't that interesting," Taylor replied, thoughtfully. "Your boyfriend is trying to protect you from danger, yet has you hang around Nash..."

For the first time since she's been here, Jas looked slightly uncomfortable. "Nash isn't as dangerous as people make him out to be," she said, defending her boyfriend's best friend.

"Ashlyn could beg to differ," Kat mumbled. I shot her a glare, but Jas looked at me curiously.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Nothing," I muttered. I didn't really want her to know because I didn't want her to bring it up around Nash. And I didn't want Nash to know I've told anybody- mainly because I don't want him to know I've been talking about him in general.

"She doesn't know?" Jenn asked.

"Know what?" Jas asked, looking confused now.

I sighed, exasperated. "It's no big deal," I said.

"Nash threatened to kill her a couple nights ago." Thanks, Tay. You sure are a real big help.

"Wait, what?" she asked. Deciding to tell her, I launched into the story of what happened that night that he broke into my house. She had her lips pursed once I was finished. "Hmph. Levi or Nash didn't mention that they knew you."

"Um, yeah, I'd assume not. Nash told me he'd kill me if I told the cops," I said. The conversation quickly got diverted to a less depressing subject. But the entire time, I couldn't help but realize that Jas didn't defend Nash when I'd mentioned that he'd kill me. Maybe he was actually capable of murder. I shuddered at the thought.



"We should probably get going," I told Jas, after everybody else had left. It was starting to get dark and I'd always been nervous to drive at night. We said our goodbyes to Kat and then went out to my car. I groaned after I tried to start it. Nothing. I tried again and again, always getting nothing. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," I mumbled.

"What is it?" Jas asked.

"My piece of shit car won't start," I said, hitting the steering wheel in hopes that it'd suddenly make it start working. Needless to say, it didn't work. Even though I was a really cautious driver- I always wore my seat belt, never went over the speed limit even a little and never even made a risky turn- my mom was totally against me getting a nice car. Even Jeremy had attempted to change my mom's mind and it didn't work. If Jeremy couldn't do it, it was nearly impossible.

"Maybe Kat can take us?" she suggested.

"Kat got her keys taken away last weekend after she got a speeding ticket," I explained. Her parents flipped and took her keys away for the 'rest of her life'. So she'd probably get them back next week or something.

"I'll call Levi," she said, bringing out her cell phone.

I smiled apologetically. "Tell him I said sorry," I said, texting Kat. my car won't start, so it's gonna have to stay here. at least for tonight. tell your parents i said sorry! loveyouxx.

"Hello?... Hey baby... Yeah, it was a lot of fun.... I sorta need a favor.... Well, you see, Ashlyn's car broke down and we have no other transportation.... Everybody that has a car left...." She shifted uneasily and her eyes shifted to me quickly. "Is there anyway you can drop him off somewhere first?" She rolled her eyes. "I know you can't take him home, what about your house?" She sighed, sounding slightly annoyed. "Alright, just get here as soon as you can... I'll text you the address.... Thanks, love you. Bye."

"So?" I asked.

She smiled uneasily? "Yeah, he said he'll be here soon," she said.

I nodded. "Good."

Levi.

I sighed as I got off the phone with Jas. "Levi?" I heard Nash slur from the backseat of the car. I swear if this mother fucker throws up in Jas' car, his ass is going down with me.

“Yeah dude?” I asked.

He leaned up between the two front seats. I glanced at his face and noticed the drunken worry on his face. I sighed. Nash is three different types of drunk. I don’t know if they switch off randomly, but there’s the drunken asshole Nash- which is ten times worse than sober asshole Nash-, there is drunken funny Nash- which is by far the most hilarious thing ever-, and then there is drunken worried Nash- an emotion you’d never see when he was sober. “Where’s Eric?” he asked, scrunching his eyebrows.

“Eric’s safe, dude,” I said. “Just put your seat belt back on and go to sleep.” I guess he wasn’t willing to put up a fight tonight, because he just leaned back and roughly leaned his head against the window.