(Fade into Ravine)

Jay is still on his hood when Amy comes walking up to him in her baggy dickey’s pants that are like 3 sizes too big with a red beater that had holes in it. She had two beers in her hands. She hoped onto the hood. Jay looked over to her and then pushed her off. “Don’t get on top of my hood. Your fat ass might dent it.”

She just stared at him all mad. She then shook her beer and then opened the can and it went spraying all over Jay and his car. “Jerk!” she screamed.

Jay looked at her with confusion. “You call me the jerk!” He paused as he wiped his face off from all the beer. “If I am the jerk then why did I help you out when you were in trouble with your parents? You know your pregnancy!” Jay looked at her with narrowed eyes.

“What Jay!” she said as she tossed the empty beer can at Jay. “What! Now that you have Miss Goody Goody you don’t want or need anyone else!” She had screamed at Jay. She stood there and waited for his reply.

“No! That isn’t it. Maybe just maybe I have found something better than the community sex bot! Or maybe I am just not into the mood!” Jay said as he slide off the hood and walked over to her. His coat moved with his stride. Amy walked over to him and put her hand on his black sleeveless shirt. She dragged her finger up towards his neck. He grabbed her hand and lifted it up off of him. Amy smiled. Jay leaned into her and put his mouth just centimeters away from her ear. He then whispered, “Keep on trying because you have never and will never have me, because I don’t screw stupid whores.” He then pulled away from her and turned his back. Amy stood there for a minute. She clenched her firsts up and stormed off the other way. Jay then walked back over to his car. He looked around to make sure no one was around. He then pulled a picture of Darcy out of his back pocket. It was at the high school play or musical. He heard footsteps behind him. He quickly put the picture in his inside coat pocket. He turned around and saw a girl that had on a pink Roxy hoody on and a pair of blue jeans. He was at first a little curious who it was. Once the girl came close into view he saw that it was Darcy. He began to walk over to her. Amy looked over and came running over to Darcy. She was about to punch Darcy until Jay grabbed her first and tossed it away from Darcy’s direction. Amy stormed away over to the fire. He walked over in front of Darcy. He heard Darcy crying. She lifted a hand and wiped her face. Her hand came back down wet with tears and blood. Jay saw it. He put his hands on her hands. She stopped and looked up at him. Tears had been running down her face for a while. Black streaks of her mascara had been running down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and swollen.

“Jay?” Darcy said as tears of fear and pain came down some more. She had spoken in a quiet and scared voice. She looked up and then quickly turned her head to the left so he couldn’t see the mark on her face.

“Yeah, it’s me. Darcy?” He said as he glanced at the mark. ‘What in the hell happened.’ He thought as he put his index finger under her chin. Amy came storming back over and pushed Darcy slightly.

“What do you want here MARY!” Amy said as she held her arms up at Darcy. Darcy was so unsteady that she had fallen to the ground. Darcy grabbed a nearby log so her face wouldn’t be touched by the ground. She looked up at Amy with fear. Jay jumped in between the two of them.

“Amy, don’t do this not here.” Jay said harshly. Amy shook her head. Jay then looked back at Darcy who had managed to pull her kneed into her chest as she sat on the ground. “Amy can’t you see she is already scared!” He paused and tried to read Amy’s face but gave up. He then glanced at Darcy and then back at Amy. “Go, have a beer and calm down.” Jay said as he pointed his finger over at the fire.

“Aw look, Miss Mary has her own protector. You know this whole summer you have changed and the funny thing is, Jay. You don’t even know it!” Amy shot back at them. She turned around and began cussing as she stormed off.

“Darcy, are you alright?” Jay asked as he turned around and looked at her. She looked up at him. He then squatted down and put a hand out to help her up. She lunged forward and tossed her arms around Jay causing him to fall to the ground on his butt. Her head was up against his heart. He put his arms around her. He then put his arms around her. He sat there holding her for awhile. Then he put an arm around her knees and another on her back. He then slowly began to pick her up. Darcy moved her head onto his shoulder. He finally stood up all the way and slowly walked her over to his car. He set her down on his hood. She sat up on her own. “Darcy, tell me what’s wrong.” Jay said as he looked straight into her eyes.

“No-nothing is wrong.” She said as she shook her head back and forth. She forced a smile on her face that made her cry from the pain of the cut on her cheek.

“Oh really, try again because I am not buying it.” Jay said as he wiped the tears away. He saw the cut on her face and very lightly dragged his finger over it. He knew cuts like these. Alex used to get them every so often from Chad.

“Nothing is wrong,” She repeated as she looked to the right. Her tears finally came out. She looked down and put her hands up to her face. Jay heard her crying. He got up on the hood and sat down at her right side. He wrapped his left arm around Darcy. His right hand was placed on the back of her head. She leaned into him and grabbed the right side of his coat flap. He held on her tighter.

“Sh. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” Jay said softly to her. He leaned back so he was lying down.
Darcy leaned back with him. She pulled her legs up. Her knees sat on his right thigh. He began to hum, ‘Over and Over’ by Nelly and Tim McGraw. They laid there for 30 minutes. Darcy had fallen asleep as Jay laid there holding her with his left arm. He looked down at her. ‘She was so peaceful when she was asleep,’ he thought. ‘She should be like that more often. She should be happy and peaceful all the time. She should be able to like any other girl!’

“Hey everyone!” Jay heard someone say. The voice sounded so familiar. He softly and carefully set Darcy down without waking her up. He then sat up and saw Spinner over by the fire with a beer in one hand. Spinner looked over at Jay. Spinner smiled and began to walk over to him.

“Hey Jay! What is going on?” Spinner said. Then Spin looked over at the car and saw a girl lying down. “Hey who is the lucky slut tonight?” Spin said as he pointed to the girl. Jay got up and took his coat off. He wadded it up and picked up Darcy’s head carefully trying not to hurt her. He slowly slid the coat under her head. As Jay held up Darcy’s head, Spinner dropped his can. Jay looked back at Spinner. Spinner was getting mad. “Jay,” he said very slowly, “Please tell me you didn’t have sex with Darcy!” Spinner said very calmly looking at Darcy and then back at Jay.

Jay got up and put his hands up in front of his chest. “WE didn’t do anything, Spinner.” Jay said in a quiet voice so he didn’t wake Darcy.

“Yeah, right, Jay. Somehow I just don’t believe you.” Spin said as he begins to yell. “You seduced my ex!” Spinner said as he pointed to Darcy. Darcy moved a little bit on Jay’s hood. Spinner walked over to her.

“Spin shut up! For once I didn’t do anything!” Jay said as he followed Spinner with his eyes. Spin looked at Darcy’s face and saw the cut on her face. His eyes darted at Jay.

“You, stupid mother fucker, what did you do to her?” Spinner said as he punched Jay in the face. Jay’s face swung to the side. He shook his head a little bit.

“Well, your punch hasn’t changed.” Jay said as he turned back to look at Spinner. Spinner was already to dodge a punch from Jay. But Jay just stood there wiping his face.

“What did you forget how to swing?” Spinner said as he swung another punch in which Jay just took. Spinner looked at Jay disgusted. “You know Jay! You never knew how to fight.” Spinner yelled loud enough to get everyone’s attention.

“Not now! Spinner you need to calm down!” Jay said as he walked over to Darcy to make sure she was okay. Once Jay’s back was to Spinner, Spinner reached over and grabbed the back of Jay’s shirt. Jay turned around. Spinner slammed jay onto the car hood next to Darcy.

“Be careful of Darcy, you moron!” Jay had shot back. Spinner then held Jay down and began to punch him. Darcy woke up because the car was moving up and down. She saw Jay getting punched. She followed the hand that had punched Jay. It leads her to Spinner!

“You slept with her and then what marked her!” Spinner screamed. He pulled his fist which had blood on it from Jay’s mouth. Darcy dove in between the two of them. Spinner stopped in mid air. “Move, Darcy! I am here to protect you!” He said with his fist pulled back looking straight at Darcy. She shook her head.

“I don’t need saving Spinner!” Darcy said to an angry Spinner. He looked at her and then pushed her aside. Then he swung at Jay again. Jay was getting hurt pretty badly.

“Fight back you coward!” Spinner screamed at Jay. Darcy watched Spinner. She then started to hit Spinner in the back. “Get off Darcy! This jerk had sex with you and then put a cut on your face. He deserves this!”

“Spinner please stop! He hasn’t done anything to me! Don’t you hear me?” She said as she began to punch Spinner.