Chapter 20

Emilia

Besides the brief encounter with James I'm having a good time at Harry's. The encounter wasn't all that bad he just asked if I had been ignoring him and I told him no before another guy pulled him away. There was a slight look of hurt and maybe anger behind his eyes, I know I'll have to tell him eventually I think we're better off as friends but this isn't the best scene for that. I decide to stick to water only tonight, not really in the mood to drink since I'm working the Saturday lunch rush tomorrow, it's not my normal shift but since I'm still trying to save for a car the extra cash sounded nice.

Rosie and I hit the dance floor after she finishes her drink and I finish my water. We've been dancing, shaking our hips and just laughing together for the past forty minutes. However, after gulping down two glasses of water my bladder is begging me to get off the dance floor. Leaning into Rosie I let her know I"m headed to the bathroom and then I'll head back to the table. I want to spend some time with Liam and also rest my feet. She agrees to meet me back at the table and I head across the dance floor to the restroom.

As I exit the bathroom, about to head across the bar to the booth our group was in, a hand reaches out and grabs my shoulder. I jump, startled by the sudden contact. I turn trying to see who the hand is attached too and out of the shadows comes a familiar figure.

"James" My breath catches in my throat.

"Emilia. I need to talk to you." Typically James wouldn't scare me but his gaze looks hazy and his words were a bit slurred.

"Um. Okay." My eyes dart around, hoping to catch Rosie or Liam nearby but unfortunately for me they must both be at the booth.

He releases my arm, sighing. "I'm not trying to hurt you. I just really need to talk to you." The way his voice changes to a pleading tone, eases some of my anxiety.

"Okay."

"Can we just go right outside? It's loud in here." I nod, following him around the dance floor and out the front door. He heads down a few cars to what I know is his, leaning against the hood of it. I lean next to him, I've known James for the past six months but I've never seen him like this. I can't quite put my finger on it but something is up with him, he's not the easy-going, nice guy I thought I knew right now.

"So what's up?" I ask, eager to hear what he has to say and get back inside.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"I'm not"

"No, you are." He pushes off the truck, turning to face me and caging me in with a hand on each side.

"I just think we're better as friends." The words are a whisper.

"What?" He traces a hand down the side of my face. "What about the kiss we shared?" He leans in, my body is stiff as a board, trying to come up with a way to dodge what's about to happen. When I can't figure out how to get out of this situation, I close my eyes, just praying for him to do it and get it over with.

∞∞∞

Liam

Sometime in the past hour I lost sight of Emi. The dance floor became too crowded as well as Ryan and Garrett keeping me distracted. Garrett doesn't exclusively know that I have a big crush on Emilia but I'm pretty positive he got the gist of it from the way I've been staring at her all night. Rosie approaches the table plopping down in the empty space across from me and next to Ryan.

"Hey guys."

"Hey." Ryan smirks at her and she rolls her eyes. Looks like we're both hopelessly crushing on the two roommates.

"Where's Emilia?" Rosie looks at the group. My spine stiffens at the question and my heart rate skyrockets.

"What do you mean? She was with you." My tone comes out harsher than intended but my mind instantly goes to worse case scenarios. What if she's hurt?

"She said she was going to the bathroom and then heading over here." This has me jumping out of my seat.

"Wait, Liam." Rosie's behind me. "Let me check the bathroom, maybe she's still in there." I nod at her and we both speed walk over the bathroom, Garrett and Ryan on our heels. Rosie enters the bathroom but exits thirty seconds later, shaking her head.

"It's okay. She's probably fine. We'll find her." I hear Ryan say it as I whirl around scanning the crowd, hoping for a glimpse of her copper locks.

"Let's make a plan." Garrett pipes in. "Rosie and Ryan check the dance floor, maybe she's just in the crowd and we can't see her. Liam and I will head outside." I take off at that, Garrett mutters a curse and I hear him yell back to the others. "Call us if you find her."

When we get out the front doors, I look left and don't see anyone but when I look right I see two figures several cars down, the man leaning into the girl who's pinned against the front of the vehicle. Garrett and I make eye contact before we both run in that direction. It's hard to make out the figures in the dark but something pulls me forward, I know in my soul it's Emilia there.

Before I even have time to think Garrett grabs James, shoving him to the ground, I gape at him for two seconds before turning back to Emilia who has her eyes pressed closed, firmly. I reach out to her, gently putting my hands on her shoulders, she flinches, breaking my heart but I know it's not personal.

"Baby," the word just rolls right off my tongue, "look at me. You're okay." Her eyes slowly open, blinking repeatedly once they scan my face and take me in.

"Liam." Her voice cracks.

"You're okay. I'm here." Her arms shoot up, threading around my neck, nuzzling into my chest. I put my arms around her waist, pulling her into me. Trying to comfort her and myself.

"I'm calling Rosie." I hear Garrett from behind us and then hear him on the phone reassuring Rosie that we found her. "Emilia, do you want to call the cops?" Emilia pulls back slightly from my body, but I don't fully let go, I need to keep her close. She looks down to where Garrett has James pinned to the ground, her eyes going wide.

"Oh no, no cops." Her voice is soft but her eyes plead with mine.

"Emi. Are you sure?" I ask her, I can't force her to do anything but if it were up to me we would be getting this man arrested, or kicked out of school at the least.

"I'm sure. Please." Her eyes met mine, asking me to understand.

"Okay." I nod, keeping eye contact with Emilia, before I turned my gaze to where James lays on the ground. "Never touch her again, you hear me?" James scowls at me. "Do you understand?" I spit out the words. Garrett's standing now, his foot pressed to James's chest.

"I hear you." The doors to the bar open and a guy I somewhat recognize as Bobby comes over to us.

"What the fuck is going on?" Bobby asks, looking between me and his friend on the ground.

"You're little friend here tried to assault her, that's what"s going on." It's Garrett who speaks up, anger filling his voice. I don"t blame him but it shocks me, he's usually very calm and collected. "Bring him home and if I ever see him disrespect a woman like that again? You don't want to know what's going to happen." Garrett bends down, hauling him up and practically throwing the guy to Bobby.

"Hey James? I better not see you at practice this week or ever again." Neither of them say anything as they climb into the car directly in front of us, peeling away. I still have Emilia pressed against my body, her head buried into my chest when Rosie and Ryan come flying out the front doors of the bar and over to us.

"Emi!" Rosie yells on her way over to us, her run slowing as she approaches assessing her friend and seeing she"s in one piece. Emilia peels her head off of my chest slightly to turn and face where Rosie's voice is coming from. "What happened?" Rosie asks tears in her eyes, Ryan right behind her his hand hovering over her waist but no quite making contact.

"Can we sit?" She turns her gaze back to me. I guide us over to the nearest bench that is right outside the front of the bar. She sits in the middle, I sit on one side and Rosie on her other. Rosie cups Emilia's face in her hands, examining her all over and once she seems satisfied that her friend wasn't physically injured, she holds her hand as we sit. Emilia threads her fingers through mine with her other hand, I'm thankful for the contact and reassurance she's giving me.

"He found me outside the restroom, said he needed to talk to me privately." She exhales a deep breath. "I never thought he would try anything, I told him we were better off as friends but …" She chokes back a sob, I gently squeeze her hand letting her know I'm here for her. "He reminded me that we kissed and I guess he thought it was good but I hated it."

"I shouldn't have left you." Rosie shakes her head, before tilting it back to keep the tears from falling. Emilia lets go of my hand to wrap her friend in a hug.

"It's not your fault." Emilia brushes Rosie's hair out of her face. "You can't be with me at all times." We can't be but I'm pretty sure Rosie and I both wish we could be.

"I should be the one comforting you." She huffs out a laugh and Emilia grins also letting out a little laugh.

"It's okay. Liam's got me." She turns to meet my eyes and gives me one of her soft smiles. My heart soars. She trusts me. It's the biggest win I can imagine coming for a terrible night.

"We should get you home. Both of you." Garrett pipes up, him and Ryan have been standing in front of the bench like they are on guard.

"C'mon. I'll drive you all home." I say standing up. As we all walk to my Jeep I keep an arm around Emilia's waist, letting her take the front seat, cramming the boys in the back with Rosie.