Forget Your Mistakes

-Cady-

The next couple shows, I could tell Nash was on alert, just waiting for Eric to try something. Luckily, that didn't affect the performance the band gave.

The band walked off of the stage and I smiled the second Nash looked at me. I hugged him and said, "I think that was the best performance yet." I felt him laugh and he pulled away, "You say that after every show." "Well, you know what? When every show stops being better than the last, I'll stop saying it," I smirked. He grinned and kissed me. "I'm going to go get a drink, do you want anything?" he asked when we pulled away from each other. I thought for a moment, "I could really use a Dr. Pepper right about now." He chuckled and started walking away, "One Dr. Pepper, coming right up!"

As I watched him walk away, I smiled slightly. That was, until I felt someone standing behind me. "Miss me, baby?" I heard someone laugh. I quickly spun around and nearly screamed, "Eric?" "I missed you," he smiled. His smile was unnerving, to say the least. "Um, not really," I replied. "Oh, who am I kidding? You obviously missed me," he said, completely ignoring me.

He started moving toward me, still smiling, and I walked backwards, not daring to turn away from him. Once he started moving faster, I knew I was in trouble. I thought about screaming or yelling or something to get someone's attention, but no matter how hard I tried, no sound would come out.

Eric stretched his arms out toward me and I shut my eyes tightly, still moving away from him. I jumped and my eyes shot open when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. I looked down at the arms that were now around me and breathed a huge sigh of relief as my eyes ran over the all too familiar tattoos.

"What seems to be the problem here?" I heard Nash ask. I leaned back against him, letting out another deep breath. "Problem? There's no problem. I was just introducing myself to this beautiful lady," Eric smirked. "Well, this beautiful lady happens to be my girlfriend and from what I saw, she didn't look like she wanted to talk to you." I saw Eric curl his fingers together and I had a feeling this wasn't going to end well. I guess Nash saw it as well because he almost instinctively moved so I was now standing behind him. I grabbed onto the back of his shirt, balling it up in my hands.

"And what would you know about her? You've been dating her for what, a month?" Nash smirked at Eric, "Well, I'll save the fact that I know she wants nothing to do with your cheating ass for some other conversation. But for now, I think we should talk about why you're here, don't you?" "I already told her. I'm here to get her back." "I don't want you back. I never want you back. I hate you and everything you put me through," I said, almost instantly and nearly in tears.

By this time, Ryan, Ian, Jamie, Alex, and Rebekah had found out what was going on and were gathered behind Nash and I. Eric looked past Nash and directly at me, "You're really having them fight this for you?" He laughed bitterly, "Absolutely nothing has changed." "They are not fighting this for me, asshole," I replied, starting to walk out from behind Nash and toward Eric. Before I got to him, Nash grabbed my waist, pulling me back to him. "He's not worth it and you know it," he said in my ear. Eric smirked, "Yeah, you better listen to him. One of us is going to get hurt if you come near me, and it's not going to be me."

"That's it!" I heard Alex yell and start going toward Eric. Ryan and Jamie grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her back. "No, let me have a go at him! He'll wish he never fucking showed up tonight," she yelled again, struggling to break away. Jamie wrapped his arms around her, "Babe, you really can't afford to go to jail for assault. I'm pretty sure that won't look good to your college."

Eric laughed bitterly again and he started walking toward the door. Before he went through, he turned around, looked straight at me and pointed at me, "This isn't over." He slammed the door behind him and we all stood there, staring at it for a moment. I tried swallow the lump in my throat, but it wasn't working. I felt my cheeks get wet as Nash turned me around to look at him. When I was facing him, I immediately looked down, avoiding any eye contact I could. He sighed and lifted my head up with his finger and ran his hands across my face, wiping away the tears.

I noticed the rest of the group had gone elsewhere, leaving Nash and I alone. "I'm sorry," I whispered, suddenly feeling guilty. "Why are you sorry?" Nash asked quietly. "Maybe if I hadn't responded to that text, he wouldn't have shown up and none of this would be happening and this is all-" Nash cut me off, "He would have come here whether you texted him back or not, and I know you know that. It's okay to be scared, Cady. But don't you dare think for a second that this is your fault. Do you understand me?" I sniffled, letting another tear fall down my cheek as I laid my head against his chest and nodded. "He's not touching you, babe. I'll make damn sure of that."