It was late and Justin was still in my apartment trying to keep me company. Maybe it was too obvious that I was totally feeling bad. I wanted to be alone to think but maybe it's better that he was with me.

"So do you have feelings for him?" he asked.

I was thinking whether to tell him or not but then someone knocked on the door.

"I should get it," I said and was about to stand up when he stood up.

"No, I'll have a look," i pushed him gently so he could sit back in the couch and walked to the door and smiled at him shaking my head. I opened the door slowly and and the smell of alcohol came in before I could see who it was.

"Good evening Cris," it was Paul. He was drunk and was hiccuping.

"Paul, you're..." my brows met "drunk," I said.

Justin stood up and walked to us but beofre Paul could see him Paul leaned on the door trying to push it open maybe thinking that I would be letting him in.

"Paul, it's late. Just... leave," I looked down and pushed the door to a close but he was pushing it.

"I need-" and then he hiccuped.
"- to talk to you," he continued with his slurry bwords and looked at me with his drowsy look. He looked like he couldn't walk himself home anymore. He pushed the door and came in and took my arm which was exposed to the light outside my apartment.

"Paul, let go. Just... let go. I need to sort things out," I said trying to shake his hand off which was now holding me tighter.

"Ow!" I backed a step.

"Get your hand off her, Paul!" Justin came from behind the door just beside me and pushed Paul's hand from my arm.

Paul looked at him and laughed.

"So you're with him now? Just like that?" he hiccupped and pushed Justin by the shoulder shoving me out of the way.

Justin pulled me to his back so that Paul couldn't touch me again.

"I thought we love each other Cris. I felt it," another hiccup and pushed Justin again.

"And you! Justin Flanders..." he was trying to keep his eyes open.

"You're hooking up with her?" he laughed and looked at me from Justin's back.

"I made you Justin," he said looking but at him.
"You're just nobody in school..."
"I told you to befriend her, not act like his boyfriend!" he spat the words at him and walked a step almost losing his balance but he leaned for support against the wall. He tried to hit Justin but he was too drunk.

"You're nobody. Everybody knows that except her..." Paul looked at me again and then fell to a sit on the floor.

I looked at Justin quizzucally. Trying to understand what Paul was talking about. He was a new student, I know that. He was but then I looked at him and he looked familiar.

"You're-" I remember now, that boy.
"You're not a new student..."
"You're Jay. That's what they called you before..." I stepped back away from them.
"That guy sitting at the back of the room who had no friends because..." I realized it. I was am idiot. This was all a plan.

"But how could Faith..." I wondered. She couldn't have planned all of this. Paul was in this but...

"She didn't. I did all..." he hiccuped and passed out.

"Justin, how could you?" I felt like a loser in front of them. A loser in front of the whole class, the whole batch, the entire school. They plotted this against me but why? I couldn't take it in. I couldn't understand. I wanted to cry but not in front of Justin. Not in front of those who planned things against me - to embarrass me after thinking that they were my friends. After doing everything for them.

I backed a few steps away from him when he tried to touch me.

"Cris..." his hand was reaching to me.

"No," I said.
"Just take him and leave..." I didn't even know if I could say his name or who he was any more.
"Leave me alone!" I yelled.

I pushed myself in a corner and embraced my knees. i was alone. I couldn't understand how they could have done this against me. I haven't hurt anyone before. I always looked after them but now this? I couldn't help but cry in that corner where I sat.

"Cris, please listen," he begged but no, i couldn't.

"Leave. Please leave..." I was crying now and I heard the door closed. They were gone. They left me feeling idiotic and stupid and most of alone. Even Faith hates me now.