Your Love Will Be Safe With Me

By Friday, things had gotten better between Michelle and myself. I think what Nick said really got to her and she took it to heart. This took a load off of my mind.

I was on my laptop trying to price out my school and possible routes to get there from LA. I had some to the conclusion that I would stay living in LA with Hanley and drive to Ventura-turns out there’s a campus there-a couple of times a week for school. I wouldn’t be going every day since it wasn’t an everyday class. That fact alone made it easier on me.

A loud bang brought me out of concentration. I looked up and saw Nick standing at the foot of the bed with his hands on his hips looking down at a laundry basket. My eyes lit up. “Oh! Good; you washed my new clothes. I really wanted to wear those new tights and dress today.” I said in excitement as I put my Macbook to the side and climbed to the end of the bed.

“The two of us combined really have too many clothes.” He said as I pulled the new pair of floral print fishnet tights from the clump of freshly washed clothes.

“You can never have enough clothes.” I said, pulling out the new black thigh length tight strapless dress from the basket.

He laughed and shook his head, “I guess you’re right.”

I jumped up from the bed and shed the pair of skinny jeans I was wearing so I could wear the new tights.

“Are you putting on the dress right now?” He asked as he watched me.

“Pah! Are you kidding? I’ll probably just wear it to dinner tonight.” I slipped on a pair of fancier looking shorts and kept on my baggy Breathe Carolina shirt I had worn to sleep. “We’re going with some of your friends again, right?” I questioned and he nodded. I walked over and looked in the mirror, admiring my outfit. “Hmm. Maybe I should just wear these.” I looked at Nick for his opinion.

“Yeah, wear that with that new tank top you got.” I nodded and seared for it in the basket. Finally, I pulled out a black jersey racerback tank top.

“Perfect.” I said as I peeled myself out of the shirt and slipped into the new shirt. “Can I wear your fedora?” I asked hopefully. He laughed then nodded, “Score.” I smiled happily. The wonders of new clothes.
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We met Nick’s group of friend’s at The Cheesecake Factory again. Apparently Nick went there as many times as he could when he was home. Not once had he mentioned his love for it when we were in LA.

Joey, Dandy, Alicia, and Nicole were already sitting at a table waiting for us with their drinks. They were sitting at a booth in the corner with the only available spot next to Nicole. She glared at me as we approached. Wow, this girl really hated my guts. Before I could do anything, Nick slid into the booth next to her, announcing a “hey” to the table. They all returned it as I sat there, visibly annoyed at how close Nicole was sitting to Nick. She was closer to him than I was. Could she be anymore of a whore?

“Hey Sawyer.” Dandy said from across the table.

“Hi,” I said sweetly. I actually really liked Dandy.

“How are you?” She asked.

“Pretty good, I guess.” I leaned down under the table and scratched my calf through my tights. “What about you?” I asked as I sat back up.

She smiled, “I’m really good.” She said then took a sip of her diet coke.

“How are you enjoying Braintree?” Alicia asked from between Dandy and Nicole.

“I really like it. It’s no LA, that’s for sure.”

Joey, Dandy, and Alicia laughed. Nick and Nicole were too busy having their own hushed conversation to hear anything we were saying.

Throughout dinner, I was mostly quiet. Nick wasn’t really talking to me or putting me in his conversations. I sat there and sulked as I ate my strawberry cheesecake. I had lost my appetite by the time our waitress took our orders. I really couldn’t wait until we got to leave on Sunday.

When the check came, Nick turned to me and finally addressed me for the first time all night. “Sawyer, do you have any money? I left my wallet at home.”

My jaw went slack. Was he really? Wow. Flabbergasted and at a loss for words, I pulled some cash out of my purse and handed it to Alicia who was calculating how much everyone owed. Nick had already turned back to Nicole before I could open my wallet.

“It was really nice to see you all again and I hope you guys can make it tomorrow, but I’m not feeling too well so I’m going to go outside to get some fresh air.” I said then got up and made my way out of the restaurant.

It was a bit chilly when I got outside, but I didn’t care. I slowly walked to Nick’s jeep, feeling tears prick behind my eyes. It was pretty late (around eleven) and the parking lot had gotten much more vacant than what it had been when we arrived. It was so full, we had to park all the way in the boonies.

With my arms wrapped around my torso, I continued to walk, passing a shady looking guy sitting on the tailgate of his pick-up.

“Aye, Beautiful, what are you doing out so late all by yourself?” He asked as I passed him.

My heartbeat picked up. Was this really happening again? I ignored him and kept walking.

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that.” He said and I heard him jump down then start following me, his footsteps quickening as he began to run. “I said,” He grabbed the upper half of my arm, causing me to yelp in pain. “What are you doing out here alone? You might get hurt.” He sneered.

“I-I-I-I-I’m just going to my car.” I stuttered in fear.

“Now why would you be driving out here all alone? Let me drive you home.” He voice gave me chills.

“No!” I yelled and his hand squeezed my arm as he brought me closer to him.

“Get. In. The car.”” He said through gritted teeth.

I heard multiple footsteps pounding against the asphalt, “Hey! Let go of her!” Tears began to stream down my face, thinking he wasn’t going to get to me in time.

As the creep opened the driver’s side door, Nick approached quickly and punched him square in the jaw. His grip released on my arm and I stumbled away from the truck, scared shitless. That’s when I noticed Joey, Dandy, Alicia, and Nicole approaching quickly. Joey was running to help Nick out, I assumed.

I sobbed out of fear. “Sweetie,” Dandy said in concern as she finally got to me. Noticing my state, she pulled me into a hug and shushed me. “Hey, everything’s all right now. Nick and Joey are taking care of him.” I couldn’t control my breathing and began to hyperventilate. “Hey, you need to calm down; you’re going to pass out.” She said then pushed me away and told me to take deep breaths.

Finally when my breathing calm down, she began to ask me questions. “What happened?” She wiped away the tears underneath my eyes, but pressed too hard and I flinched.

“Ow.” I hissed.

“What? Did he hurt you?” I shook my head and she wiped at my eyes again then gasped. “Did he give you those black eyes?”

My eyes widened, “What? What black eyes?”

“The ones on your face.”

“You’re crazy.” I tried to brush it off.

“No, you have two black eyes.”

I sighed in frustration, “I-I-I-I guess.” No way in hell was I going to tell this girl that I’m so pathetic that I’ve been attacked before that night.

“Oh Sweetie.” She said then pulled me into another hug.

“Next time you even think about hurting a girl, you’ll be sorry!” Nick yelled as he walked away from the older man groaning on the parking lot ground. Then we made eye contact and I immediately forgave him for being an ass earlier and ran straight into his arms.

“Are you okay?” He asked quietly as he placed his hand on the back of my head and the other wrapped around my waist. He was holding me tightly, as if I were going to disappear at any given moment. I nodded into his chest, feeling completely vulnerable. He sighed, “I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t gotten here in time. I wouldn’t have forgiven myself.” He buried his face into my neck. “What were you thinking coming out here alone?” His breath hit my neck, sending chills up my spine.

“You were ignoring me and I got upset.” I said meekly.

“I’m so sorry, Sawyer.” He said sadly.

“It’s okay, I was being stupid.” I squeezed my eyes shut trying to will the tears to stop.

“No, you weren’t. I should have been paying more attention to you.” He breathed out a shaky breath.

“I love you.” I said quietly.

“I love you, too.”