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Out of nowhere, I see a fist come flying towards Jackson, I duck just in time and it hits him square in the jaw. He doesn’t react though, he stays calm and keeps his eyes on Scott but I can see the slight clench to his jaw and the way his hands turn into fists at his sides.

Too busy looking at Jackson, I don’t see the second punch until it’s too late, in fact, I don’t see it at all, I feel it.

My hand flies to my eye and I grit my teeth against the pain, trying to gain my sense of equilibrium.

Holding onto Jackson’s arm, I find my balance and then crouch down lower to the floor.

“Shit, Ava, are you okay?” Jackson bends down, his face looking up at me through the curtain of hair that covers my face.

Pulling my hand away, I look down at the blood that’s coming from my eye. Dammit, that’s going to bruise.

Jackson’s jaw clenches even harder as he looks at me, helping me up, he walks me to the wall next to the main door and tilts his head at one of the security guards before pointing to me and then walking away.

“Jackson!” I call after him, knowing by the way he walks back over to Scott that this isn’t going to be good.

I can’t believe that we’ve only met five minutes ago and it’s already causing trouble.

He runs at Scott when he’s halfway there, tackling

him to the floor and sitting on his chest with his legs either side of him, his fists slamming down onto his face with frightening accuracy.

“Stop him!” I shout at the man who holds his arm out so that I can’t get past. I stop dead not wanting to go anywhere near him, his fierce face telling me with one look to stay where I am. I look around for Jess and find her standing off to the side, her eyes flashing with anger.

Anger at me or Scott I don’t know.

I close my eyes, not being able to bear seeing the violence without memories flashing in my mind. Sitting down on the floor, I lean the back of my head against the wall, my face throbbing and my head feeling dizzy.

Stay calm, Ava, stay calm. You can do this, you’re strong. You. Are. Strong.

I imagine Corey’s face, the one from my dream and pretend that he’s saying it to me, trying to block out what is going on around me.

Even though the music has been cut off, the noise is still too loud. I watch as police come through the doors and take Scott and Jackson out in handcuffs.

Jackson looks around frantically, struggling against the cuffs that they’ve put him in. I cringe at the blood that’s splattered all over him and push my body flush against the wall.

He says something to one of the officers and points at me just before he’s dragged out. The officer comes towards me, crouching down and looking at me with kind eyes.

“Looks like you got caught up in the fight, huh?” He smiles, probably trying to put me at ease but it won’t work. Even though the uniform gives me a sense of calm, he’s still someone who I haven’t met before. “Let’s get you down to the station.” He offers his hand but I just stare at it.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and start to wonder why I can’t just go home.

“No, you need to come and make a statement.” I startle, not realizing that I said it out loud.

Running my shaking hands down my jeans, I use the wall to push myself up and step beside him wincing when my face starts to thump with each step I take.

Jess says something from behind me but right now I really don’t want to look at her, let alone talk to her. It’s her boyfriend who’s done this and there just isn’t an excuse good enough for it. Even if there is bad blood between them, it doesn’t give him the right to throw punches around.

I hate violence with a passion, it’s all I ever knew and thought was normal when I was growing up, but seeing how Elena and Trevor lived opened up my eyes to what normal actually is.

Why people can’t just use their brains first and talk it out or, even better, walk away, I don’t know. Scott will have to deal with the consequences now and maybe he’ll regret it in time, but if his face is anything to go by, as I pass him in the back of a police cruiser, then I don’t think it will be any time soon.

I don’t bother to answer Jackson as he calls my name from the other police cruiser, I keep my eyes forward and stay silent as I get in the last empty car.

My mind whirls with so many thoughts on the way to the station; will I be arrested? I was in a bar underage after all, I didn’t drink but would that matter?

When we get to the precinct, the officer leads me to a waiting room and waves at the chairs, indicating for me to sit down. I shuffle closer and sit on the hard, unforgiving chairs and wait for what comes next.

After a couple of hours, I decide to lay down. Closing my eyes, I try to get some sleep because it looks like I’ll be here longer than I thought. I’m in that weird stage of not being asleep but not quite awake when I hear a familiar voice.