Lander- I won't let them hurt you

Chapter 4

(kinda important) A/N: I've seen a lot of people complaining about glorifying drew/drake, and it may seem like that's what I'm going to do from how this chapter starts out, but trust me, by the time it's done I'll have made a proper point. Also yeah there's a Drake sidestory in this chapter, (although that's not what the entire chapter is about) AND NO it's not going to become a main focus of this book, I just thought it would be cool to see the aftermath of the 'choking' and their POV in this chapter exclusively!

"Where did he say we should meet up?" I ask, tilting my head, excited to see him again, despite how he'd been acting recently. "Strip club." Hailey says without a tremble in her voice, sipping her black tea. "Says he wants a piece of you." "Wh-what?!" I immediately slam my hands on the table, probably blushing with flying colours. "Kidding, kidding." She laughs. "You should've seen your face. Anyway, no, he said to.." She squints her eyes back down at her phone. "Meet 'round the little clearing on our way back home. Huh, he's already there." "Alright then, stop just standing there, let's go!" I exclaim excitedly, standing up from my seat. "Well, look who's excited." Hailey smirks, getting up from her chair and tucking her phone in her pocket. "I'm not the one who gets flustered every time Jake, well, exists!" I tease back, and she blushes back. "Shut up, that's not true.." she mumbles as we start walking off.

"Seriously though, you like him right?" I ask her, my voice softening to something somewhat sympathetic. "Well.." she trails off, a breeze ruffling her hair before she neatly tucks it back into its ponytail. "It's not quite as simple as that, Luke." "Care to elaborate?" "It's-" she bites her lip. "I do definitely feel..something when he's around, teasing me, singing, and all that. But, it's not like how you and Zander feel, I would-" Her voice breaks and picks itself back up, but tighter this time. "I would never be in a relationship with someone like him. Someone who bullied me. And not only that, I just...don't think my feelings are serious. They can be strong enough, but not..." "Yeah, like.." I put a hand through my hand, like I always do when I'm trying to explain something. "When you're attracted to someone, but like, not everyone you fancy a bit will be your..." "Yeah, exactly." She smiles sadly. "That's what I love about you and Zander. You like, really, really love each other. You're meant to be! Just Luke and Zander, like Nick and Charlie!" She laughs. "Can't be one without the other, right?" "Right."

**** No one's POV ***
Drew, Jake's supposed best friend, was choked today. By someone...he also knew. He didn't know how to feel, but definitely cared for Drew... After he came back from the nurse, Drew was a lot more...distant and cold. Not in the usual way, more like, as if he was scared of something. Shy. Just didn't want to talk. And he didn't. To anyone, not Henry, Liam, not even Zoey. But then, at the end of the day, before he got into his luxury car, he suddenly grabbed Jake by the arm. Without enough time to even look at his expression, Jake just stood there as Drew whispered to him. "Ecchi Alley. 7." Jake started to respond, but Drew was already gone. And he just stood there, with the time etched into his brain. Maybe he wants to talk...? But why there...

*jake's POV*

His phone flashed up at him, 6:30.
He didn't want to talk to me for the whole day, and now he suddenly wants to meet up in that fucked up alley on ecchi? The alley...everytime he passed it, there was some sort of weird stuff going on. From teenagers fighting to that one time he'd seen a dead body...
"Shit, does this look good?" I ask myself, running my hand through my hair as I stared at my mirrored reflection. I'd put on my shiniest, edgiest jacket, my prettiest earrings, and even a little makeup for the first time in forever. Okay, it was obvious, I wanted to look good for him. I blushed and tucked my phone in my pocket. FFUCK, I hate these stupid feelings!