He said he had made a few fair points and she felt a scowl fall onto her face, finding she did have something to argue now. "You were commenting on a situation you had no right to butt into." The comment had arisen because she had warned Chase, in a more bold way of course, that she was going to hurt Andrew if she kept it up. That was right. They had been the ones doing something wrong. He had pushed himself into a situation that had already started to wrongly fall on her shoulders, causing more troubles for Chase, Andrew, and her.
"I don't care about the comment so much as I do care about the nerve." She glared at him. "You were mocking my opinion on a situation you did not fully understand. Your snide comments meant nothing, thank you." It was true. He could have called her a score of names and she would not have cared. But the fact that he had thought him so superior to judge her... he did not know that she had been hurt.
He began to say what he knew about her, and she hitched on a skeptical sneer as she stared back at him, refusing to break eye contact. He explained how he thought she viewed him. There was tiny seeds of truth here and there, the most accurate was how she saw him and his 'adventures.' It pissed her off that guys could have sex with someone and move on so quickly... and that some girls let them...
Before she could respond, he was continuing on. She was silently mocking him when Vito's name came up. Jack's blood went cold. Why... Why must everyone know about the one part of her life she would like to keep from view. She understood that there were parts of the story that Chase was allowed to tell... But to start telling people that she was buddies with Vito... She had no right. Jack had explained that there was more there than them hanging out, it was not a fricking picnic, and she was sick of people think she decided to go hang out and go for a stroll with him, as though she liked being pitted against Chase. She was not choosing a petty friendship- or a "love interest" as Chase liked to assume- over Chase. She was choosing to rehabilitate someone who had serious problems, at great personal risk.
But no one saw it as that. They thought it was a fine and dandy friendship they had, as though Jack sincerely looked forward to the hours she spent, wondering if she was about to die, fighting back tears. She did not enjoy it, but she was doing it for something that meant more than her petty little life. It was not a fun little hobby. It was something she had to do. She was tired of people simplifying into- Oh, Jack befriended her friend's worst enemy and then ditched her friend. They did not understand Jack's turmoil, nor the pain it involved. It sounded much better to say Jack was just being a stupid little b!tch who only thought about herself. That made it much easier.
And here he was, talking about a situation as if he had had a front row seat to the performance. Did he not realize that Chase's version may- as in did- have a bias. Jack was not proud of everything she had done, but she knew she had done what she could. It was time for everyone to stop having opinions in matters that did not concern them.
He began mocking her, saying it would be so funny if the four of them dated. Two things were wrong with this statement. She was tired of people assuming that her effort had something to do with a silly crush, or lust, or whatever. She was not superficial. Anyone who bothered to know Jack- then again, who did?- would know that her reasons would not be so petty. When had she ever chosen a crush over her friends?! Hell, when had she ever had a crush?! If they wanted to make accusations pertaining to stupid flings that hurt somebody, the fingers directing the accusations needed to realize they were the ones at fault; Ergo- Chase, Elijah, and Andrew.
And second, to even have the nerve to say that would be an amusing affair. The last time Jack had been in the presence of Vito and Chase, she had nearly destroyed herself. Jack was never weak, right? She did not cry? And yet her dreams had been fraught with nightmares, her pillows and sheets had been soaked with silent tears she would never cop up to, she drowned her pain in alcohol (something she was against). Now, say it again, that she thought that it would be fun. And she had still managed to watch over an upset poltergeist and then be as decent as she could to the people who had caused her to almost let herself self destruct.
She had become who these people wanted her to be. Jackles. Redhead. And then they had asked her to kill off one of them. Let part of her die. Never mind the repercussions, Jack always pretended to be fine. She always had a smirk, always look confident. Never mind how she might really be feeling. As long as we feel good. Well, guess what? They had asked for a decision.
And now Jackles was dead.
And still, the scapegoat remained.
Jack took it with grace. They needed someone to blame. Hell, she needed someone to blame. And she let the weight of that fall on her. And Chase came to her, telling her what she had done, a mistake she had made and Jack knew Chase wanted her to shoulder some of the pain as well... Chase needed Jackles, but she was dead. And Jack could not hold any more pain. Chase would have to. But she was not ready. Jack yelled at her, something that would haunt her, but something that would teach Chase to be able to cope. To equip her with the tools necessary to cope. Jack could never be her friend, but at least Chase would make it.
And of course, no one realized that Jack may have a side of it. Believe it or not, the villain did not think themselves evil, they did not strive for it. They made the best decisions they could, and then they still shouldered the hate. So why should Jack be any different? Why should Jack have a side? Why shouldn't Elijah be able to think she was the worst person on the world?
She stood and she was surprised to feel a stinging in her eyes, though no tears had formed. (Jack had began debating over the existence of her tear ducts at all.) She shook her head. “You don't get to do that. You don't get to hear one-sided truths, assume the rest, and speak of a situation you know nothing of. That Chase knows nothing of. You think you guys have it all figured out?” She shook her head. “Don't think so highly of yourselves. I will not be made the villain anymore. Think of me what you want. But don't pretend like you know me, and don't fool yourself into thinking you can ever understand. Truth is, neither of you even want to try.”
She turned and began to walk away. She did not want to delve into his psyche or whatever. She did not want to even delve into her own.