Unconditional.

My first day at work had been intense, there was no denying that. Little did I know I'd be returning the very next day. I woke up early, but Holly was already gone. For some reason I felt disappointed that I didn't get to wake up to her face. I could imagine her sleeping beside me, her face peaceful, her hair scattered around her head like a soft halo. But all I saw when I rolled onto my side was a dent in the pillow and flat, lifeless sheets. She hadn't even left a note or a number.

I'd kind of been hoping to ask her more about Luke. How long had he been hurting her? How long had she been with him? Was I really the only person who knew? There was so much I wanted to know, despite the fact that she was a stranger and it was really none of my business. Would she even tell me if I asked, or would she just shut me down?

I sat up, pushing my fringe out of my eyes and stretching. Warm April sunlight sliced through the gap in the curtains, spilling onto her side of the bed. I sighed and rolled out of bed, still wearing my work clothes. I smiled, remembering being too tired to move after Holly had fallen asleep in my lap. I'd moved her into the vacant side of the bed and slid inside the duvet beside her, falling asleep in seconds.

I shed my work clothes and dropped them on the floor amongst the rest of the mess, noticing it looked a whole lot worse in daylight. It was probably about time I tidied my room, especially if Holly were to make another visit. I shook my head, scolding myself for thinking such a thing. What possible reason could she have for coming back here? She was scared to go home last night, in case Luke followed her, that was it.

After pulling on an oversized t shirt and a pair of tracksuit bottoms I headed downstairs, flattening my fringe absentmindedly. I slid my trainers on, barely even acknowledging Billie as she poked her head around the living room door.

"Where you going, Birthday Boy?" she demanded, raising and eyebrow, and I frowned. I'd completely forgotten it was my birthday.

"I was just going for a run," I replied with a smile.

"You might want to save that for later," she said. "Dad's made you cake for breakfast."

I sighed. This was just typical of my father. He knew very well that I didn't usually eat breakfast and that I was trying to lose a little weight. He just didn't know where to draw the line, but I didn't have the heart to say anything because his intentions were good. Besides, it was my birthday. What better day was there to binge?

"There'd better be icing," I muttered, kicking my shoes off and abandoning them by the front door.

I made for the kitchen, with Billie bounding after me like an excited child. You'd think I was the older sibling, not the youngest of three. My other sister, Ilona, was already sitting at the table, flicking through a magazine and sipping tea, and my father stood at the counter with his back to us.

"Good morning," said Ilona, glancing up at us as I took a seat opposite her, "and happy birthday."

"Not a teenager anymore," Dad piped up, turning to beam at me. "Where have my three sweet children gone?"

"Billie said you had cake," I said impatiently, and Dad chuckled, bringing it over from the counter. "Where's Mum?"

"We ran out of milk," Dad explained. "She won't be long."

I cut myself a generous piece of cake, sweeping excess icing off the knife with my thumb and licking it off. Ilona rolled her eyes, but I didn't care. Self discipline wasn't needed on my birthday. Anyway it was my cake. I cut pieces for everyone else before wolfing down my own.

"So," said Billie, eating her sliver of cake in tiny forkfuls, "who was the girl you brought home last night?"

I shook my head incredulously. Ilona and Dad didn't say anything, but I could tell they were interested. I wondered if Holly had run into any of them when she snuck out earlier. I hoped my dad hadn't tried speaking to her.

"...Just some girl," I said pathetically, remembering the promise I'd made to Holly the night before.

"So you came home from your first day of work early with 'just some girl'?" she said innocently, and if looks could kill I would've murdered her brutally right there and then. "She looked about twelve."

"My boss let me off early," I growled through gritted teeth, my face growing hot under my father's concerned gaze. "He said it was just a trial day, and she was NOT twelve."

"Whatever you say."

I decided to change the subject, oddly protective over Holly. "Did Zack call?"

"Yeah. I'm going home this afternoon to talk to him."

Mum came home just as we finished our cake, and Ilona got up to make coffees. Soon we were all sat around the little kitchen table and my morning run was forgotten. Of course I had to tell all about my new job, but I kept Holly to myself. I think telling anyone about Holly but witholding her secret would probably sound weird to an outsider. She's the daughter of my boss and I left early with her to take her to my place. Yeah, it doesn't sound good. I wondered how the hell Aidan had explained this to Brewer without knowing what was going on. Oh god, I was in for it.

Congratulations were given from my parents on my new job and presents were piled on the table in front of me. A new pair of trackies, some jeans, a box of Malteasers and a new phone later, we were all ready for lunch. I stuck my new phone on charge and stood at the counter preparing salad while Dad cooked chicken and my sisters set the table.

My day was pretty much uneventful after Billie left that afternoon, up until seven, when the doorbell rang and I answered it to my four best friends: Rachel, Seb, Leo and Tristan, and judging by their messy performance of Happy Birthday To Josh they'd already started drinking without me.

I let them in, marching them upstairs even though I know the guys were hoping to see Billie. Although she had a boyfriend and a child, she had a bit of a soft spot for Seb, and the other two just liked to compete over her. It was pathetic and to be honest quite embarrassing but boys will be boys.

"She's not here," I announced, shoving them towards my messy bedroom, and the boys groaned in response. Honestly.

"Josh," slurred Seb, and it was painfully obvious he'd drunk too much already, "you know I love you babe but are you really going out dressed like that? How do you expect me to pick up some birds if you're dressed like a bum, eh?"

"Pub crawl! Pub crawl! Pub crawl!" the others chanted, and when I didn't reply to Seb he joined in, clapping his hands enthusiastically.

I shook my head. It was no use trying to keep them quiet. I got dressed in skinny jeans and a red shirt as quickly as I could and grabbed my keys. I didn't bother grabbing my wallet; my friends and I had a rule where we'd pay for drinks for whoever's birthday it was. I just yanked my phone off charge and stuffed it in my pocket and we were ready to go.

The first pub visit didn't last long. Seb got a bit too enthusiastic and we were thrown out. He almost started a fight in the second. I barely had time to drink my drinks. The third time around we decided to hit a club. I ended up being Seb's walking stick as we made our way to the nearest club, but I didn't mind. I was pretty used to it. Besides, it was kind of funny having him singing songs in my ear and waving at whoever we walked past.

The night was clear and relatively warm, softly lit by streetlamps. A few groups of people around our age walked nearby, probably searching for nightclubs like we were, singing cheerfully. Seb sang along, waving as they looked over in surprise, and I struggled under his weight.

We found a club nearby which looked reasonably cheap, and we joined the short line for the entrance, digging in our pockets for IDs. I looked for Seb's first, firguring he was probably too out of it to find it himself, and shoved it in my mouth while I looked for my own. But apart from my keys and phone, my pockets were empty.

"Shit," I muttered, and Rachel turned to look at me. "I didn't get my wallet. I don't have ID."

"Balls," cursed Rachel. "What are we going to do?"

"He looks his age," said Leo with a careless shrug. "He'll get in fine."

But as we neared the security guard I grew doubtful. He seemed to be checking absolutely everyone, and the fact that it was my birthday and I was holding up my drunk best friend would mean very little to him. It didn't mean I wasn't going to try. I dragged Seb in front of the others and approached the security guard.

"ID?" he said dryly.

"I don't have it," I admitted, "but listen, it's my 20th birthday and I didn't bring my wallet with me beacause-"

"Look mate," he sighed impatiently, "I feel for you, but rules are rules. I can't let you in."

He didn't look the tiniest bit sorry, but I pushed anyway. "I won't drink? I mean someone needs to get my friend home, right?"

"Sorry," laughed the guard disbelievingly, "you're a boy going to a club and you're not going to drink? Sorry if I don't believe you. Now if you don't mind, you're kind of blocking the queue."

"Excuse me," drawled Seb, frowning inattentively, "you're ruining my Josh's birthday, you piece of-"

"Seb," I snapped, "no."

"Can you not just let us in?" Rachel insisted. "He's obviously over 18, so let it go yeah?"

"Rules are rules, love," the guard repeated, glaring at Seb, "and it seems your friend has had enough to drink already. Move along, please."

"Whatever then, mate," snarled Tristan, taking Rachel's hand and leading us away from the queue.

"We'll just have to go somewhere else," suggested Leo.

"He," said Seb slowly, "was mean to my Joshie. He was a poo."

"Don't call me that," I snapped, and the others laughed. "Look, I have an idea."

I hadn't expected to return so soon, but a short taxi ride later we arrived at The Roundhouse nightclub. I didn't pretend I wasn't a little pleased, a little hopeful to see Holly again, but I was nervous too. What if Brewer was mad at me for leaving early last night? Had I lost my job already?

Fortunately the security guard recognised me and let us in ahead of the queue, and my gaze was immediately drawn to the bar. I could see Felix and Aidan beyond the masses, but I wasn't close enough to see Holly's corner. I could, however, see Brewer. He was chatting to someone beside the DJ's booth. I sighed and transferred Seb's weight onto Tristan, figuring I might as well clear the water now.

Seb whistled. "This place is posh, Josh. Ha. Posh Josh."

"I'll just be a second," I told them. "I'll meet you at the bar, yeah?"

Without waiting for an answer I pushed through the mob in search of my boss. It didn't take long to reach the stage, and there was Brewer, still talking to the same person. I didn't know what to say or how to explain, so for a while I just stood there, hoping he'd see me and start the conversation himself. He was wearing a silver shirt today, with black trousers and shiny black shoes, and he'd had his light grey hair cut. There was hardly any of it now.

After a few minutes I decided to approach him. If I didn't do it now I'd be spending the rest of the night worried he'd come and shout at me in front of my friends, and with the state Seb was in, that would be messy. I took a breath and started to walk, but a tap on my shoulder made me hesitate.

I turned and there was Holly, dressed in another baggy t shirt and tight blue jeans, her hair tied in a ponytail on top of her head. She wasn't wearing any makeup, but she didn't need to. She was still the most beautiful girl in the room, and if I didn't believe that before, I definitely believed it when she smiled shyly at me.

"I forgot to ask last night," she said, "how old are you?"

I grinned. "It's my 20th birthday."

"Happy birthday," she yelled over the music,her smile broadening. "I didn't expect to see you tonight."

"Yeah?" I shouted back. "Well, I did expect to see you this morning."

"Sorry," she said remorsefully, her eyes flitting to the ground. "I freaked out a bit."

"It's okay," I said with a smile. "Are you feeling better today?"

She nodded, glancing over my shoulder. "Listen, you don't have to worry about my dad, okay? Aidan cleared everything up. All my dad wants to say is thank you."

"What did Aidan tell him?" I asked, my brow furrowing.

She didn't reply. Her gaze seemed to be fixed behind me, and in a matter of seconds her expression went from shy smiles to horror. I turned to follow her gaze, and it wasn't hard to tell who she was looking at. He was hard to miss, with bright blonde hair and long legs. I won't lie, I was pleased to see the punch I'd thrown last night had left a mark. His eye had swollen a little, surrounded by a nice purple bruise. Instinctively, Holly moved closer to me, and I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Luke was clearly looking for her, and it was a matter of seconds before his menacing glare would turn on me. Suddenly my protective impulse kicked in and I turned his way, ready to go over there
and give him some more. I didn't care he was almost double my size; I wanted to make him suffer.

But Holly grabbed my arm, pulling me back to her, her eyes pleading with me. My hands balled into fists, but I stayed where I was. And then he saw us and started to approach, and I could hear Holly's terrified gasp, even over the loud music.

"Josh," she cried, "do me a favour?"

I frowned and turned to face her, my glare leaving Luke, and my heart pretty much stopped as her gentle hand found my face, holding me there, her thumb stroking my cheek. She looked helpless, her eyes glassy with tears threatening to fall, and I knew whatever the favour was I'd do it. I'd do anything to protect this mysterious girl I'd only met a day ago.

"W-what?"

"Don't resist," she whispered, and I barely caught her words over the music before she was pulling my face down to meet hers and kissing me.

Immediately I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into me, kissing her back urgently. My eyes fluttered closed and my hand moved up from her back to her neck, holding her to me, electricity flooding through me.

I didn't care that I was being used. I didn't care that her father might be watching. Every single part of me wanted this, whether it was real or not. It just brought me even more joy that I knew Luke was watching. I didn't know what it was about this girl, but there was no denying I wanted her. Somehow I couldn't bear the thought of Luke ever touching her again. I liked the fact that I was the person she trusted with her secret. I liked being her protector. Even if it meant faking a kiss, I didn't care as long as she was okay.

It was just a bonus that she was being okay with me.